A new patent from Sony suggests that the PlayStation 5 will allow players to share saved game files with other players, or at the very least, they'll be able to send small portions of these files to others. The player would essentially be able to save segments of any game that they play, and then other players would be able to either view these segments or play them out for themselves.
The exact quote from the patent describes this new PlayStation 5 feature as, "A video game sharing method and system enables users to share playable video game segments with users so that the users can view the video game segments or interactively play the video game segments." The patent goes on to say that it believes the feature will increase user enjoyment and the video game's popularity.
Step by step, the feature would work something like this: Creators choose when to start and end their recordings — which the patent refers to as "game splices." They then upload them to the PlayStation Network or send them to a friend. While on PSN, players can select the creator's game splice and have the option to either view it or play it. Should they play it, they'll be able to personally play out the game splice using all of the player's gear and other saved stats.
Now, this patent doesn't mention the PlayStation 5 directly, but it's hard to imagine what other product Sony would use it for. This potential feature is also similar to Google Stadia's save-sharing ability, and the Xbox's Project xCloud. It would make sense for the PS5 to have a similar function as well to keep up with its two friendly competitors.
Sony has also filed previous patents that have hinted at this same save-sharing PlayStation 5 feature before. Sony calls it "screen tagging," and described it in a way that's very similar to this save-sharing feature. Essentially, users would be able to save videos and screenshots of their exploits, and players would be able to find and experience those saves for themselves, particularly if they needed to find their way out of a hard situation in the own saves.
Still, while this feature may have come up a few times before, or at least similar versions of it have, it's only a patent at the end of the day, not an official feature revealed for the PlayStation 5. Patents get filed all of the time, but they don't always come to fruition, so whether this save-sharing ability does actually end up on the PlayStation 5 remains unseen.
PlayStation 5 releases Holiday 2020.
Source: Patentscope
