Sony recently filed a patent that may be aimed at creating more immersive horror game experiences. The wording of the patent gives it a wide range of applications, but horror games appear to be its main focus. The horror genre had some gems in 2021, but Sony believes they can push the genre even more.

The patent states that in order to alter a player’s environment, games require specific inputs such as a button press. If a game does not require an input, then the game forces players into a scripted sequence that they have little to no control over. Sony is looking to fix this issue.

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The patent proposes the idea of “providing a non-intrusive adaption [sic] of a user’s virtual environment.” The patent goes on to explain how the use of various sensors could be employed to gauge the attitudes of players by observing their facial expressions, voices, gestures, and even heart rates.

The patent suggests that Sony’s top brass want to use various peripherals to determine how players are feeling at any given moment and have games that can adjust on the fly to those feelings. While the implications of such technology are widespread, the patent seems to point to more immersive horror game experiences. The genre has a lot of untapped potential that Sony clearly wants to capitalize on.

The primary collection method of player emotion would be a camera and a microphone. The camera would be used to collect player “gestures” and the microphone would be used to collect player “noises.” Based on how a player reacts to a jumpscare, for example, a game could either increase or decrease its intensity. If a player has a big physical and verbal reaction to something, the game world would be able to adjust and potentially make things less intense for a while. Upcoming games such as the promising co-op horror game The Outlast Trials could even potentially take advantage of such technology with multiple players in the mix.

While the techniques and technology described in the patent could be used for a lot of different genres, horror games would benefit the most. Playing a game like Alien: Isolation could become all more terrifying knowing that the xenomorph stalking the player could hear their every sound. Or a new Silent Hill game could morph the titular town in unique ways based on how players react to it.

The possibilities are truly endless if this technology is implemented. The goal of the patent is to ensure that players do not need explicit inputs to change the game world. Instead of players only reacting to games, games would be able to react to and interact with players in more immersive ways. This could be used to enhance games already on the market, but could also be an indicator that Sony is planning something big for a new horror game.

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