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[IbizaPocholo]

Sony Wants to Replace Video Game Forums to Reduce Spoilers

Sony seemingly intends to replace gaming forums with a dedicated assistant feature that could, hypothetically, end up reducing game spoilers.

gamerant.com

Sony appears to be working on a special social community system that could, in theory, help reduce the number of spoilers present in the various online gaming communities for story-based games. The company behind the PlayStation brand has already patented a number of features that seem to think outside the box when it comes to solving certain industry problems, and its latest listing is particularly interesting for its approach to the matter at hand.

Specifically, Sony claims that its newly patented feature would be positioned to outright replace gaming forums dedicated to helping players get through difficult sections of video games. The listing describes a special feature that would connect players depending on their in-game progression to promote discussion and, if they're both stuck, have them try to figure out a solution in tandem. The patent specifically mentions that it would be useful in games such as The Witcher 3 and God of War, explaining that the proposed "real-time social experience" would be preferable to the experience of browsing an old-school gaming forum, as it would provide organic solutions without exposing players to various narrative spoilers.

 

[DeepEnigma]

 

[Captain Toad]

We could write a book of an alternate universe where Sony actually made use of half of these patents. Most likely this is nothing.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

This isn't the help PS5 has now? Avoiding spoilers is what's great about that help feature, for games that use it.

 

[Nautilus]

If discussing a particular piece of a game was all forums was about, then sure it would be a great idea.

But its not just about that, so this will fall flat.

 

[jigglet]

Takes patent
Misinterprets completely
Creates sensationalistic headline
Enrage readers

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

Takes patent
Misinterprets completely
Creates sensationalistic headline
Enrage readers

This.

 

[adamsapple]

Replace them with what ?

Their "experts" they wanted to hire ?

good luck.gif

 

[SentientStone]

Rumour has it that it was Sony that instilled the woke ideology in order to destroy gaming forums from the inside.

 

[jigglet]

This.

Im so fucking sick of these articles. I’ve probably spent more time than most journalists working on patents and even I don’t even understand half the shit I read. These guys look at one flow chart amongst a 150 page submission and have “enough” insight to write a huge article. Fucking sick of these patent “revelations”.

 

[SJRB]

This thread is now about Scully.

Let's go.

 

[Fuz]

We could write a book of an alternate universe where Sony actually made use of half of these patents. Most likely this is nothing.

Probably.
But all those patents we see mentioned here are dystopic as fuck.
The intent is worrying enough.

 

[Fbh]

Social media is 10X worse at spoiling games than forums.
I haven't been buying games at launch for the past 2 years and have yet to be spoiled on anything. Most gaming sites/podcasts do a good job warning about spoilers as do people here on GAF. But I don't use Twitter/Facebook which is where most spoilers seem to be thrown around.

The only things that's sometimes hard to avoid is spoilery youtube thumbnails

 

[Aranea]

I mean if you think about it Sony already did that. As they shut down the official PlayStation Forum 2 years ago and told people to use reddit instead. Anyway avoiding spoilers is difficult these days as those Youtube thumbnails have spoiled me a couple of times.

 

[Razvedka]

And I want to replace my houses dependence on externally produced electricity with a zero point energy reactor in my basement.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Nah, bruh. TLoP2 flopped not because of the spoilers .

 

[Topher]

Takes patent
Misinterprets completely
Creates sensationalistic headline
Enrage readers

Replace them with what ?

Their "experts" they wanted to hire ?

good luck.gif

 

[pqueue]

you do not need forums for help/.

Sony has gimped all of their games so much by having the characters constantly BROADCAST what needs to be done, every step of the way.
Literally no time for the player to figure it out on their own before Aloy, Kratos, Atreus, Drake, whatever tells you what needs to be done

 

[sainraja]

Probably.
But all those patents we see mentioned here are dystopic as fuck.
The intent is worrying enough.

If you read what it is saying, it is not as nefarious as you are taking it:

"The listing describes a special feature that would connect players depending on their in-game progression to promote discussion and, if they're both stuck, have them try to figure out a solution in tandem. The patent specifically mentions that it would be useful in games such as The Witcher 3 and God of War, explaining that the proposed "real-time social experience" would be preferable to the experience of browsing an old-school gaming forum, as it would provide organic solutions without exposing players to various narrative spoilers."

They want to create an engaging social platform for people looking for help in games to avoid spoilers and get the help they need. Now, if they are actually able to create such a thing remains to be seen.

 

[adamsapple]

To be fair the text of the article also says exactly the same thing as the headline, just in so many more words:

Specifically, Sony claims that its newly patented feature would be positioned to outright replace gaming forums dedicated to helping players get through difficult sections of video games. The listing describes a special feature that would connect players depending on their in-game progression to promote discussion and, if they're both stuck, have them try to figure out a solution in tandem. The patent specifically mentions that it would be useful in games such as The Witcher 3 and God of War, explaining that the proposed "real-time social experience" would be preferable to the experience of browsing an old-school gaming forum, as it would provide organic solutions without exposing players to various narrative spoilers.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

MiiVerse on Wii U was a decent concept , each game having there own discussion channel.

I wouldn’t be against something like that on PlayStation and Xbox.

 

[Topher]

To be fair the text of the article also says exactly the same thing as the headline, just in so many more words:

I'm just messing around. The problem with the article is they don't even bother to link to the patent so we have to take their word for it.......and I'm not going to do that with most sites I consider legit much less sites I think are trash like gamerant. In any case, we should all know better than to buy into believing anything regarding these patents.

 

[Northeastmonk]

YouTube is where the “TRUE FINAL BOSS + ENDING” to most AAA games are located Day 1.

 

[Saber]

Probably nothing, but even the idea itself is retarded as fuck. As if they got power to do it.
Whats next? Patent to censor the internet?

 

[Dick Jones]

I'm just messing around. The problem with the article is they don't even bother to link to the patent so we have to take their word for it.......and I'm not going to do that with most sites I consider legit much less sites I think are trash like gamerant. In any case, we should all know better than to buy into believing anything regarding these patents.

So you're telling me I shouldn't get my news from a news site with rant in the title?

 

[Beer Baelly]

 

[adamsapple]

YouTube is where the “TRUE FINAL BOSS + ENDING” to most AAA games are located Day 1.

Don't forget the *shocked streamer face*.

 

[tmlDan]

have we...become the villains?

 

[a multicultural team of v]

This sounds interesting if you actually read the description. If two random people are stuck in the same spot of a game, giving both of them the ability to chat with each other to figure it out together seems kind of like a clever and good idea?

 

[alabtrosMyster]

I wish we did not waste brain power on that kind of dumb ideas.

 

[fart town usa]

100% in favor of this if it means Miiverse but on Playstation.

 

[SmokedMeat]

YouTube is the only real problem. A couple people I subscribed to had nonstop God of War stuff. Those thumbnails can ruin shit. Even just random stuff in your feed.

 

[Pelta88]

If you make a unique nasal sound when you breathe, Sony will patent it.

 

[64bitmodels]

RIP Neogaf, it was fun while it lasted

Spoiler

/s

do they not realize that they themselves implemented a system for ps plus where people could find guides without ever having to go to google...? or the fact there are plenty of sites that exist that provide spoiler free guides for games?

 

[TheInfamousKira]

You'll never take us alive, patent. There are dozens of us!

 

[64bitmodels]

You'll never take us alive, patent. There are dozens of us!

its up to me to do the funny gif thing now

 

[jshackles]

Didn't the PS5 have those hint card thingies that you had to be a Plus subscriber to see, and only like 2 games made use of them?

 

[Kenneth Haight]

 

[Esca]

Replace? Lol
I think the idea is cool and should be something to enhance what is already there

 

[Hawking Radiation]

YouTube is the only real problem. A couple people I subscribed to had nonstop God of War stuff. Those thumbnails can ruin shit. Even just random stuff in your feed.

After watching the Avatar 2 trailers, I started seeing people posting 'other' clips from the movie in my feed and its the thumbnails that give it away. Ended up just staying off youtube for a few days until I saw the movie myself.

I really hate that about youtube.

 

[Kadve]

Sorry Sony but spoilers isn't something you should try to regulate. It will just make trolls even more determined.

 

[Power Pro]

This thread is now about Scully.

Let's go.

 

[eastcoastkody]

its called MiiVerse and it was killed

 

[ReBurn]

First they invent whispering and now this. What will they think of next?

 

[Fake]

First Microsoft with ADs on your game screen, now Sony with this stupid ideia.


Whats up this generation? Bunch of freaks.

 

[Solidus_T]

An actual waste of time that they will most likely never end up using in any way

 

[Rayderism]

Gaming forums have been essentially useless for actual game help for years. They're mostly used for complaining about every little technical shortcoming a game might have these days.

If I'm stuck in a game, I just use Google and the solution is usually within the first few results. I don't want to chat with some random schmuck to figure it out.

 

[Drizzlehell]

More like nuke any kind of possibility for people to be able to spread word of mouth when one of their games turns out to be shite.

And that's after they already removed user reviews from their shitty storefront.

 

[DAHGAMING]

 

[The_Mike]

THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY SONY BY VIOLATING FOR FOLLOWING:

FREE SPEECH.