Sony Files Cross-Platform NFT Trading Framework Patent for Gaming

While only a patent, meaning it isn’t a guarantee it’ll happen, it seems that Sony has, at the very least, some sort of interest in NFTs, as a new patent filing by the company is focused on them, this time with it being a framework to earn and trade NFTs, even across other systems. 

The patent, which you can view here, describes a framework that would allow players to earn NFTs (non-fungible tokens) in the form of exclusive skins and other content, which would then allow users to trade and even transfer said NFTs to different consoles and platforms. 

The patent reads:

SUMMARY

As recognized herein, in some applications such as computer/video games, an NFT might represent the artwork or an asset in the game (such as a character or weapon, or other game assets), but current systems are technologically inadequate for the owner to use the asset across different games and/or platforms. Accordingly, as further recognized herein, the functionality of the game may be enhanced by enabling gamers and/or spectators to exclusively use the asset and possibly transfer its rights to others via NFT as described further below.

Accordingly, in one aspect, a system includes at least one computer medium that is not a transitory signal, and that includes instructions executable by at least one processor to determine that a first end-user entity has performed a task for which a first non-fungible token (NFT) is to be provided. The task is performed within at least one computer simulation, and the first NFT represents a digital asset. The instructions are also executable to, responsive to the determination, provide the first NFT to the first end-user entity and prevent other end-user entities engaging in other instances of at least one computer simulation from being provided another NFT for performing the task again subsequent to the first end-user entity performing the task.

In some examples, the first end-user entity may include plural end-users that act in concert to perform the task. In other examples, the first end-user entity may include a single end-user and no other end-users.

In various example implementations, the task may include locating the digital asset within at least one computer simulation and/or beating or overcoming a particular aspect of at least one computer simulation.

Additionally, in example embodiments, the digital asset itself may include a video game skin, video game artwork, an avatar, a video game weapon, and/or a video game skill.

Again, this is merely a patent, meaning that it may not be something that actually does happen, and the company is simply filing it, so others can’t. However, it does indicate that Sony and PlayStation are exploring NFTs to some capacity. Whether that’s something that ends up happening in the future is anyone’s guess, though we can’t say that the idea alone is a popular one, especially amongst the gaming community.