PlayStation to Track Digital Asset Ownership Using Web 3.0 Technology, Sony Patent Reveals

The digital entertainment giant aims to change in-game digital asset trading by introducing a new dimension to digital ownership.

Video game Horizon character on game platform looking at controller keys
  • Sony Interactive Entertainment has recently published a patent proposing a system based on Web 3.0 technology.
  • The multinational video game company aims to tokenize in-game digital assets, from cosmetics to gameplay moments, and track important information, including modifications, ownership, visual appearance, metadata, and more. 
  • The patent discusses its plans to mitigate fraud among players, introduce transparency in all aspects of trading, and capitalize on the success of well-known players and streamers by tracking their in-game assets. 

Web 3.0 gaming is undoubtedly the fastest-growing segment of the gaming industry, welcoming millions of users with its offerings. It should therefore come as no surprise that Sony, one of the world’s most critically acclaimed entertainment publishers, has been experimenting with technologies that have the potential to introduce new methods and mechanisms that would raise the standards of its offerings.

Tracking Digital Ownership

Sony Interactive Entertainment is one of the world’s most influential video game and digital entertainment companies. With blockbuster titles such as ‘God of War: Ragnarok’, ‘Spiderman’, ‘The Last of Us’, and many more under its banner, the video game company has released some of the most successful video game franchises of all time. 

Sony is constantly looking to expand on the technologies it employs, and expand its footing to enhance its entertainment ecosystem. The company recently published a patent under Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. titled ‘Tracking Unique In-Game Digital Assets Using Tokens on a Distributed Ledger’.

Sponsored

Here’s a quick summary of the patent’s contents: 

  • Additional features that could potentially track the distribution history of in-game digital assets, such as characters, or media assets that represent in-game moments like video clips and images. 
  • Once an in-game digital asset is created, a distributed ledger would track its progress over time by assigning it unique tokens, including identifiers and metadata outlining the properties of the asset. 
  • The distributed ledger aims to identify changes to the history of the digital assets by including the hashes of previous blocks; such changes to the properties of a digital asset, including those of ownership, visual appearance, or metadata, would be tracked and identified through the creation of new blocks in the distributed ledger. 
  • Assignment of unique tokens for use in tracing the history of a given player’s actions, transactions, and interactions with others. 
  • Specialized tracking of in-game digital assets belonging to players with large fan followings, tournaments, events, and more. 
  • An AI system for identify tradeable in-game digital assets based on rarity. 

The digital entertainment giant aims to change the in-game digital asset trading landscape through the introduction of a new dimension to digital ownership. By tracking the history of in-game digital assets throughout their existence, Sony can supposedly differentiate between them and authenticate their rarity, optimizing transparency in trading these assets, and mitigating fraud.

On the Flipside

  • It is yet to be determined how exactly Sony plans to use this feature. While the patent does not expressly mention blockchain technology by name, it does make extensive reference to ‘distributed ledgers’. Supposedly, Sony intends to utilize features inherent to NFTs, but without using the authentication process of blockchain networks. 
  • Sony recently kickstarted a loyalty program called ‘PlayStation Stars’. The loyalty program enables players to earn digital rewards by completing various activities. However, the media entertainment giant later distanced itself from blockchain technology and NFTs.
  • Despite implementing surrogate models, of sorts, Sony is still hesitant to fully embrace NFTs and blockchain technology.
  • Established names in gaming such as Ubisoft, Konami, Sega, Atari, and Square Enix have made their presence known in the Web 3.0 space. 

Why You Should Care

Sony Interactive Entertainment has etched its legacy into the gaming history books as one of the greats. Founded in 1993, the video game company has played a monumental role in building the video gaming industry into what it is today. Considering this, Sony’s entrance to Web 3.0 could serve to authenticate the technology, and vindicate the space, bringing the next generation of gamers to Web 3.0. 

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Author
Insha Zia

Insha Zia is a senior journalist at DailyCoin covering crypto developments, especially in the Cardano ecosystem. With a Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Engineering, he delivers high-quality articles with his technical background and expertise in data analysis and programming languages, aiming to educate and inform readers accurately, transparently, and engagingly. Insha believes education can drive mass adoption of the crypto space, and he is committed to giving DailyCoin readers a better understanding of the technology.