Alongside the launch of the PlayStation 5 came a new digital storefront for all PS5 owners that, while differing in aesthetic, was essentially the same as the PS4 digital store. It seems as if Sony is planning on updating the storefront once more to change things in a big way.
According to a recent United States patent application by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the company is working on a new update for the PlayStation store that would provide even more information on the game that a customer is potentially looking to buy. One of the most important takeaways from the patent application is that the updated store would help give in-depth information on the lifecycle of a game relative to the point of purchase.
Essentially, the patent would help give the buyer a better sense of how well the game in question is being supported. For example, live service games like Fortnite or Apex Legends would include detailed information about recent patches and major updates confirming that they are still games worth downloading with live servers. Conversely, games that have been taken offline such as Friday the 13th: The Game would make it clear upfront that matchmaking servers aren’t supported anymore.
This sort of information already exists for certain games on their store pages, however, it seems like Sony’s patent application is looking to make it a more standardized practice so that customers know exactly what they’re buying when they’re buying it. This will hopefully help consumers make more educated purchases resulting in less returns and the success of better, more well supported games.
A lot of the sample images that Sony provided in its patent application seem to look relatively similar to the current PS5 store layout, so it seems like the added information won’t be changing up too much in terms of store functionality and overall look. The 41-page document provides plenty of different examples and layouts for how the finalized version might look.
It’s worth pointing out that while a patent application suggests that something new is in the works, it doesn’t necessarily mean that whatever it is will be coming anytime soon if ever. There have been a handful of Sony patent applications discovered over the past few years that haven’t resurfaced in any meaningful way in the company’s products, but it’s an interesting look into the potential future of what Sony has planned.
