- A new patent published by Sony wants to fix latency issues in games by predicting player inputs ahead of time.
- The AI system might use a camera to record the player’s action or utilize controller inputs instead to make predictions.
- Despite a bad internet connection, it will minimize unintentional delays in organically executing player commands.
It’s no surprise that, like other tech giants, Sony has also been on a patent publishing spree to secure the next revolutionary leap in the gaming industry. Many of its legal documents are tailored towards increasing accessibility and other convenient features for players. However, this new patent might finally resolve one of multiplayer gaming’s biggest dilemmas in decades.
We have discovered a newly published Sony patent that wants to tackle latency issues in multiplayer games by employing smart AI models. These models can predict player inputs before they are completed.
Sony discusses employing a camera to receive inputs by viewing the controller to record player actions. These incomplete inputs can then be predicted to be executed in advance for the player.
one processor [May] receive input from the camera, determine the user command based on the input from the camera, and control the computer game according to the user command in advance of the user completing the user command.
Why it matters: Sony may have found a way to reduce lag in online games by using AI to predict player inputs ahead of time. This patent could fix multiplayer games’ lag issues by a wide margin.
The patent, ‘TIMED INPUT/ACTION RELEASE,’ also discusses using incomplete controller actions as input instead of the camera, letting AI do all the work of guessing what the player is trying to do ahead of time.
Sony argues there’s no effective way for players to reduce latency on their own. Gamers with poor internet often try to fix this by making inputs ahead of time, but the game may end up using these premature inputs on time, making the situation worse.
There can be latency between the user’s input action and the system’s subsequent processing and execution of the command. This in turn results in delayed execution of the command and unintended consequences in the game itself.
Sony will most likely implement this system in first-party franchises that feature multiplayer and online co-op mechanics. Whether it extends to third-party games also remains to be seen.
Moreover, Sony has patented several unique ideas, including a system to detect player outbursts in real time to improve gameplay and AI accounts to catch cheaters by impersonating gamers.
Do you think Sony’s new system to predict player inputs ahead of time will help latency issues in multiplayer titles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the official Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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