Gaming giant Sony Group Corp (NYSE: SONY) holds more patents related to the non-fungible token (NFT) sector.
What's HOT: As the owner of the PlayStation video game console and several other video game studios, Sony is one of the leading companies in this field. Although many other names in the gaming industry seem to be avoiding NFTs, Sony is increasingly participating in this field.
A new patent filing from Sony shows some of the ways the company could use NFTs in games.
“Systems and methods are disclosed for determining that a first user entity performed a task in a computer simulation to provide a non-fungible token, where the NFT is associated with an asset. digital assets,” information from the patent says.
Another item that quickly attracted the attention of gamers on social networks was the mention of other devices and platforms.
“NFT ownership may also then be transferred to other end-user entities for their private use on different simulations and/or platforms.”
The patent covers the capabilities of multiple devices, specifically naming an Xbox device from Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) and game maker Nintendo (OTC: NTDOY). The patent also mentions that cross-platform capabilities could allow NFTs to be used on various Sony-owned devices such as PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
“Overall, the current application has many similarities with NFTs to be able to transfer and use digital assets between gaming platforms.”
The patent refers to NFTs which are typically digital assets and says they can represent items such as skins, game artwork, avatars, weapons or in-game skill sets.
The patents also indicate that Sony wants NFTs to work with virtual reality headsets, augmented reality headsets, smartphones, tablets, computers and TVs.
Why it matters: Sony's latest patent filing follows one reported by Benzinga in November 2022.
At that time, Sony had applied for several patents related to blockchain and digital assets, including tracking digital assets in video games.
“In traditional video games, there is no way to distinguish an item a famous gamer used to win a famous tournament from any other item of the same type in the game,” the patent says .
Sony's patent shows that the company could create digital assets tied to celebrities and esports winners. Sony can also create NFTs for gameplay video clips.
Sony is not the first company to explore NFT application opportunities in games, and it likely won't be the last.
Ubi Soft Entertainment (OTC:UBSFY) announced the launch of in-game NFTs in December 2021 and additionally on February 2022, using its intellectual property library to enter the space Web3 games are growing day by day.
Square Enix (OTC: SQNNY) has announced plans to launch a Web3 game called “Symbiogenesis,” which will use NFTs from the Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) blockchain. Square Enixx has been signaling support for blockchain in games for years.
The terms cross-play and cross-platform as well as the mention of rival Xbox consoles are also interesting as Microsoft has remained silent on its plans to launch NFT games, even is the owner of “Minecraft” maker, Mojang - which has announced it will ban NFT integration.
Gaming industry retailer GameStop Corp (NYSE: GME) has launched its own NFT marketplace to tap into the growing space and is looking for titles to work with.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), which owns the video game streaming platform Twitch, is also rumored to launch an NFT marketplace in April.
The Pokemon Company, part-owned by Nintendo, is looking to hire NFT-savvy talent, suggesting the games and cards company could explore application opportunities for the digital asset.
Sony's patents don't guarantee that games will see NFTs anytime soon, but multiple patent filings suggest the company has aspirations to connect in-game items like skins and avatars to the world of NFTs.
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