Category: Games

October’s free Sea of Thieves update, Fate of the Damned, is now live. The Halloween-themed update introduces a wealth of new content to Rare’s shared-world pirate game, including some ghoulish new Voyages to undertake, as well as pets, cosmetics, and other rewards to earn.

Chief among the new content are the aforementioned Voyages, which will send you in search of Larinna’s missing Bilge Rat crew. As Rare warns, however, “an advancing threat spreads across the seas,” and you’ll have to contend with the Shadows of Fate as you explore the world.

There are also new challenges to complete and rewards to earn as part of the Fate of the Damned event. Rare says that additional challenges will be rolled out as the event rolls on, and new rewards will be made available, including the Soulflame weapons and lantern.

On top of that, the update introduces two new types of pets to go along with last year’s skeleton bird and marmoset: a skeleton cat and skeleton dog. You can acquire them from the Pirate Emporium. The Soulflame Ship Set has also been added to the Emporium, as have other cosmetics like new facepaints and the free Lantern Dance Emote.

Beyond that, the Fate of the Damned update also makes a variety of other changes and improvements, including fixing a number of bugs in the game. You can read the patch notes for the update below.

Fate Of The Damned Release Notes

Gameplay Improvements

Mysterious Notes

• When waking up at the start of a session, players may now find Mysterious Notes left beside them. Follow these notes to be directed to the various activities across the Sea of Thieves with each new content update.
• When collecting a Mysterious Note, a pop-up will now appear as the note is added to your inventory. All Mysterious Notes collected can be browsed within a new section in the Quest Radial.

In-Game Event Tracking

• The in-game menu now contains an Events tab, showcasing the current events taking place across the Sea of Thieves and tracking your progress through them.

Flameheart’s Range

• When a Flameheart Ghost Ship encounter is active, the area in which music and menacing remarks from Flameheart can be heard around the islands has been reduced.

Ashen Lords Balancing

• Ashen Lords now have reduced health.
• Cashing in an Ashen Winds Skull is now worth double the gold.
• When defeating an Ashen Lord, players will be guaranteed a Chest of Rage and a Ritual Skull as rewards, with all rewards gained from this encounter increased in value.

Emergent Captain Balancing

• Skeleton Captains, Key Masters and Guardians that appear emergently on islands have been reduced in difficulty.

Updates

Oh Gourd!

• With the Festival of the Damned season in full swing, Outposts are decorated with pumpkins in celebration of the ne’er-forgotten soul of the Ferryman.

Skipping the Intro Cutscene

• Players can now opt to skip the front end intro animation by enabling ‘Auto-skip Intro Animatic’ in Video Settings.

Shark Hunter Ship Set

• The previously unavailable Cannons, Capstan, Figurehead, Flag and Wheel are now purchasable for gold at any Outpost shipwright.

Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Optimisations

• Sea of Thieves has been optimised in preparation for the next generation of Xbox consoles with Series S and Series X.

Accessibility

Auto-Move Accessibility

• Players can now bind a key to ‘Auto Move’, allowing their pirate to move forward in that direction until stopped.
• ‘Auto Move’ functions as expected while traversing land or swimming, but also applies forward motion to actions such as raising the capstan and climbing ladders. While players will still need to interact with these items to begin, the use of ‘Auto Move’ can remove the need for a held action during the interaction.

Narrate Emotes

• When ‘Let Games Read to Me’ is enabled, emotes performed by other pirates will now be narrated and described to the player.
• Hiding emotes that hide the player’s gamertag will not be narrated.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

• When performing an emote, you should now consistently perform that action for any players observing you.
• When a Megalodon appears alongside a Sloop, it should now circle the ship and more frequently find opportunities to attack while the ship is moving.
• Reaper’s Chests earned from the Fort of the Damned should now have a Reaper’s Beacon.
• Ashen Artifacts dropped by Ashen Skeletons now provide Emissary Grade progression when taken.
• Firebombs should now deal consistent damage to animals.
• When a player has acquired the maximum number of food items, the number shown should now be marked in red.
• After lighting all the Flame of Fate beacons at the Fort of the Damned, Graymarrow should climb out of the ground instead of appearing from nowhere.
• There is now a loading screen while going through the Pirate Legend Hideout waterfall entrance.
• When at Ancient Spire Outpost, players should now safely teleport to the intended location.
• The Legendary Skeleton Exploder Commendation should now be visible to players in their reputation page under Gunpowder Skeletons in the Bilge Rats tab.
• The Commendation counters shown on the reputation pages now more accurately represent players’ progress with a Trading Company.
• Quickly pressing the primary use button/key while holding a pet should no longer disable the ‘give pet’ animation.
• The ‘Drop Capstan’ tutorial prompt now resets properly if the player’s ship sinks while on-screen within the radius of the Maiden Voyage island.
• When playing with Korean language settings, players are once again able to offer their soul to the Ferryman to skip the revival duration.

Ancient Treasure Vaults

• The Ancient Vault Key will now disappear once the Vault is complete.
• If an Ancient Vault is active, that Vault will no longer be selected for use in another crew’s Tall Tale.
• If an Ancient Vault becomes active, other crews will be notified that the Vault is unavailable when approaching the door.
• Rowboats should no longer clip through the Ancient Vault door.
• It should now be less likely for players to have more than one torn map piece per island.

Tall Tales

• ‘Heart of Fire’ – The lever in Stitcher Jim’s Hideout now works repeatedly as intended.
• ‘Heart of Fire’ – Dying and then being revived in lava now properly kills the revived player again.
• ‘Heart of Fire’ – This Tall Tale no longer shows as ‘New’ in the Tall Tales tab.

Pirate Emporium

• Switching currency should now properly update the price in the item preview window.

Environment

• Emergent locations on Discovery Ridge for animal crates and Gunpowder Barrels have been updated to ensure they can be reached by players.
• When engaging the Skeleton Fort on Sailor’s Knot Stronghold, upon reaching the Skeleton Lord players should no longer become stuck in the Fort wall during combat.
• The rocks near Dagger Tooth Outpost now have appropriate collisions.
• Players can no longer get stuck in the Pirate Legend Hideout and appear in the sea near the Sea Dogs’ Arena.
• Players should no longer be safe teleported when moving around the Vault entrances.
• The walls of the tunnel outside the Vault on Mermaid’s Hideaway should be visible at all times.
• The corrupt textures in the Kraken’s Fall Vault have been removed.
• The dust/rock VFX will no longer be floating near the Kraken’s Fall Vault rock door.
• Players should no longer be able to dig the ground inside the weapon and equipment shops on Outposts.
• There is no longer a hole in the western rock outcrop on Shores of Gold.
• The skull lamp at Marauder’s Arch should now be attached to a post and no longer floating in mid-air.

Visual and Audio

• When following an ‘X Marks the Spot’ Map, the ‘thunk’ sound can now be heard upon digging at the right location.
• When the Ashen Curse is equipped, it should now appear while on the Ferry of the Damned.
• The Hunter Figurehead, Crab Figurehead and Parrot Figurehead now have the correct icons when viewed in the Ship Customisation Chest.
• Players should now be able to scroll down to the last option on the Video Settings page.

The Arena

• The last crew to vote for the migration after the contest will no longer be stuck on the ‘recording results’ message and instead migrate as intended.

Custom Servers

• Steam players should now be able to join an active custom server after receiving an invite.
• Players should no longer be able to browse the store at North Star Seapost while on a Custom Server.
• Players should no longer be able to browse Larinna’s Black Market while on a Custom Server.

Steam

• Players who unlocked incorrect achievements on Steam before June 3rd 2020 will now have the incorrect achievements removed upon next login (but if the achievement was legitimately earned since then it will stay).
• Players who have not had their Xbox achievements carried over to Steam will find their achievements correctly synchronised when logging in following the Fate of the Damned update.
• When attempting to join a game without an invite on Steam, players will now be shown the correct notification message.

Performance and Stability

• Improvements to server performance reducing latency, lag spikes, ‘rubberbanding’ and server correction during gameplay.
• Improved client stability when loading into The Arena tavern upon selecting Duo Sloop Open Crew.
• Improved client stability when idling on the Ferry of the Damned for an extended duration.
• Improved server stability when progressing through Tall Tales.
• Improved Xbox loading times from when a player sets sail on the front end to when they arrive in the world.
• Improved and optimised client performance.
• Optimised a range of islands across The Devil’s Roar to improve client performance.
• Camera movement should now feel smoother when using the mouse and keyboard on Xbox consoles.

We’re hiring! IGN is hiring roles in all departments, but we (as editors) are especially excited about these jobs in the Editorial department:

Streaming Editor

We are looking for a streaming editor to lead our coverage of emerging and established streaming platforms in both the entertainment and gaming space, from Netflix and HBO Max to Twitch and YouTube. You’ll be covering a wide range of streaming topics, helping us identify and report on the industry trends, programming, and personalities that are driving conversation, as well as offering thoughtful follow-up commentary and analysis. You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to our traditional movie, TV, and games coverage. More info and application here.

News Reporter, Editor – IGN’s news team is looking for a new content creator to help us not just research, write, and edit the stories we already specialize in, but share stories our readers and viewers haven’t yet discovered themselves. Based in either the UK or US, you’ll be working with the executive editor of news, the news team, and a pool of freelancers, you’d be reporting on day-to-day breaking stories (across gaming, movies, TV, tech, comics, and science) and pitching thoughtful follow-ups. Your work could span anything from investigative reports and op-eds to community deep-dives and video breakdowns. While you’d be based within the news team, your work will cross over with features, previews, and more – you’ll become a major part of not just how we tell stories, but how we create them. We have offices in both the UK (London) and the US (Los Angeles, San Francisco), so you will need to apply to whichever is nearest: More info and application (US). More info and application (UK).

 

Image: Dramatization of what it’s like to work at IGN.

If you want to write for IGN but the above gigs don’t suit you, you have some options: We have (other) jobs available all over the globe! And we’re always on the lookout for great new freelancers. Apply to freelance.

IGN’s editorial team is made up of all kinds of people that share a common love of games, TV, movies, comics, tech, board games, and all things geeky. We strongly encourage people of every race, gender, sexual orientation, and background to apply.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

If you have any other questions about jobs at IGN, we encourage you to contact the people working in those jobs — Twitter is a good place for that. Here’s a list of what everyone on the content team does at IGN. See you there!

 

The Ascent, which was once set to be a launch title for both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, will now be released in 2021.

Originally revealed at Microsoft’s first next-gen Inside Xbox broadcast, The Ascent is an action-RPG set in a cyberpunk world and appears to be a wonderful mashup of Diablo and Judge Dredd, as we have previously noted.

Developer Neon Giant has also shared a new video that showcases the development and highlights a few features coming to The Ascent when it is released on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC in 2021. It will also be available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers at launch.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/the-ascent-neon-giants-developer-walkthrough”]

We featured The Ascent as our IGN First game for May 2020 and took a look at gameplay, concept art, how it originally became an Xbox Series X launch exclusive, and much more.

The Ascent has you taking on the role of an indentured worker who will dive deep into ‘The Ascent Group’ arcology, a self-contained corporate-run metropolis stretches high into the sky and is filled with “creatures from all over the galaxy.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-ascent-exclusive-next-gen-screenshots-and-concept-art&captions=true”]

It’s an adventure that can be played solo or with up to four players in co-op modes and is targeting 60 fps and full 4K support on Xbox Series X alongside “amazing gameplay performance for the new generation of console players.”

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

It’s safe to say IDW Publishing’s new miniseries The Last Ronin is among the most hotly anticipated comics of 2020. Not only does this series reveal the bleak future of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe, a la The Dark Knight Returns, it’s the first collaboration in years from original TMNT creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

Just how dark do things get for the Heroes in a Half-Shell? Which TMNT icons are still left standing in this totalitarian future? Read on to learn more about the surprising twists in store, but beware of full spoilers for Last Ronin #1 ahead!

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=tmnt-the-last-ronin&captions=true”]

The Foot Clan Reborn

The Last Ronin #1 slowly gives readers a sense of how the world of TMNT has evolved over the course of several decades. And it’s not good, to put it mildly. Decades into the future, New York City has become a totalitarian sci-fi hellscape straight out of Akira or Blade Runner. Outside the city’s walls is a radioactive wasteland. Inside, New York’s citizens are dominated by the Foot Clan, which has only grown more powerful since the days of Shredder. The new Foot Clan leader rules with an iron fist, relying on an army of cyborg soldiers and Stockman Tech creations to ensure the wealthy elite are never threatened by the 99%.

Who is this new Foot Clan leader? None other than Oroku Hiroto, grandson to the original Shredder. As we learn, Hiroto is the bastard son of Shredder’s daughter Karai. Somehow he’s succeeded where his grandfather failed, killing three of the four Turtles and extending his clan’s grip over the entire city. Issue #1 shows the last surviving Turtle infiltrating the city and trying to assassinate Hiroto, only to be severely wounded and forced to retreat to the sewers. Unlike Shredder, Hiroto seems content to let his minions do the heavy lifting. We also learn Hiroto is keeping his mother preserved in cryogenic sleep

Who Is the Last Ronin?

It’s easy to forget that IDW never actually revealed the identity of the series’ main protagonist prior to the release of The Last Ronin #1. This grizzled character has abandoned his original bandana in favor of an all-black look and wields all four trademark TMNT weapons. Between his grim demeanor and the fact that he seems to favor a katana in most of the numerous variant covers for issue #1, it’s a logical assumption Leonardo is the one trying to avenge his fallen brothers. But that assumption is wrong, as we learn on the final page of issue #1.

It’s actually Michelangelo who outlived his brothers and now yearns to restore his family’s honor. Clearly, his days as the family’s designated Party Dude are long behind him. Michelangelo appears to be haunted by the ghosts of his brothers, as several scenes feature him conversing with characters who linger just off-panel. After failing to kill Hiroto, Michelangelo returns to the sewers and attempts to commit seppuku with the broken remnant of Leonardo’s sword, only to pass out before he can do the deed.

After a brief hallucination where he’s reunited with his fallen brothers in their old home, Michelangelo awakens to find another familiar face. April O’Neil has also survived, even if she doesn’t look to be in much better shape than Mikey. But the good news is that our hero has at least one ally in his war with the Foot Clan. Will we see other TMNT favorites pop up over the course of the series, like Alopex or Casey Jones. Is the new female Turtle Jennika part of this alternate future universe? We’ll have to wait and see in future chapters.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/27/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-the-last-ronin-miniseries-announced”]

In other futuristic comic book developments, legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont is penning a brand new prequel to Days of Future Past as part of a new hardcover collection. We also got our first look at DC’s Future State, a massive crossover event showcasing the DCU of the year 2030.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

If you’ve been waiting for the price to drop on LG’s fantastic OLED TVs during Black Friday, your wait is finally over. Prices have dropped starting today and Best Buy is, in my opinion, the best place to get an OLED TV. In other deal news, there are three big games coming out very soon and all have been discounted by 17%: Watch Dogs Legion (out tomorrow), Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (out November 10), and Cyberpunk 2077 (out December 10).

LG CX Series 65″ 4K OLED TV for $1849.99

Best Buy is the only vendor that offers an extended warranty with OLED burn-in protection!

LG’s CX series OLED is the best TV you can get right now. No traditional LCD backlit TV compares in image quality (even, IMO, the QLED TVs). Best Buy’s Black Friday pricing for these TVs has started today for the 55″, 65″, and 77″ models, and it has never been cheaper. Best Buy is the best place to purchase a TV for one big reason: they are the only reputable vendor that offers an extended warranty with OLED burn-in protection. The cost of a 2yr extended protection costs $170 for the 55″, $230 for the 65″ and $400 for the 77″ models. In addition, the return policy has also been extended to January 16.

• Get it at Best Buy for $1849.99
• To get this price, log into your My Best Buy Members account (free to join)

More TV Deals

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=daily-deals-october-28-2020″]

More Video Game Deals

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=daily-deals-games-roundup”]

______________________________
Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends roughly 1/4 of his income on stuff he posts. Check out his latest Daily Deals Article and subscribe to his IGN Deals Newsletter.

If the impending return of Animaniacs on Hulu isn’t enough to quench your ’90s cartoon nostalgia, maybe the Tiny Toons can help. The beloved animated series is also due for a comeback in the form of Tiny Toons Looniversity.

Warner Bros.’ press release teases “They’re tiny. They’re toony. They’re back for a reboot-y,” so Looniversity appears to be a reboot of the original Tiny Toon Adventures rather than a continuation (not that the series was ever very plot-heavy). Tiny Toon Adventures originally ran from 1990 to 1992 and chronicled the misadventures of a new generation of toon students studying under the classic Looney Tunes cast. It later became a mainstay of the Kids’ WB animation block alongside Animaniacs, Batman Beyond, and other ’90s favorites.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-most-memorable-kids-wb-original-shows&captions=true”]

The original series was also notable for being the first collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, and Spielberg will return to executive produce Looniversity. Sam Register, President of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, and Amblin Television Co-Presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank are also serving as executive producers. Erin Nash (of the Throwing Shade podcast fame) is serving as showrunner, and she and Nate Cash (Adventure Time) are co-executive producing the series.

“For many kids, Tiny Toons was their introduction to the world of Looney Tunes and, over time, Buster, Babs, Plucky, and all the characters grew to be just as beloved by an entirely new generation,” said Register in Warners’ press release. “The continuation of our great creative partnership with Amblin Television will bring these characters back for fans of all ages to enjoy.”

“These smart, hilarious and cheeky characters have left an indelible impression on the childhoods of so many,” said Falvey and Frank. “We’re thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with Warner Bros. Animation, HBO Max, and Cartoon Network to reimagine the Tiny Toons for new audiences, and we know that fans of the original series will be just as excited to share the show with their children as they will be to revisit a childhood favorite.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/21/animaniacs-official-trailer-2020”]

Tiny Toons Looniversity has been given a straight-to-series order for two full seasons and will air on Cartoon Network and stream exclusively on HBO Max. No release date has been revealed yet, and it’s unclear whether any of the original voice cast will return.

The good news is that we don’t have much longer to wait for Hulu’s Animaniacs revival. That series is scheduled to debut on November 20. Hulu has confirmed Animaniacs will return for a second 13-episode season in 2021. The revival itself reportedly came about because of a surge of popularity for Animaniacs on Netflix, which may have also played a role in Tiny Toon Adventures being given a second lease on life.

Are you excited for the return of the Tiny Toons? Let us know in the comments below.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

While Sony was especially tight-lipped about the PS5 until recent months, fans spent the last few years digging deep into the internet and uncovering the next best thing to official announcements: patent filings. While they don’t always come to fruition, the information found in patent filings steps beyond speculation and into the realm of legitimacy — they come straight from the console manufacturer, after all, and imply some level of time and resource investment from Sony.

Several patents were filed in the years leading up to PS5 that gave console enthusiasts plenty to chew on, ranging from conventional tech like the DualSense design to more outlandish ideas like an emotionally intelligent, robotic gaming buddy.

Now, with a much clearer picture of Sony’s PS5 plans, we’re revisiting 11 such filings to see which ideas have been realized and which have yet to come to pass.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=potential-ps5-patent-leaks&captions=true”]

An Empathetic Robot Gaming Companion

Sony’s Black Mirror pitch patent for a robot companion capable of tracking a player’s emotional state was filed in 2018. The “human-type pet-type” robot (which, what does that even mean? Is it a pet that looks like a human, or does it look like a pet but have human intelligence? Sony is really getting close to the Malcolm Horizon here) would communicate empathy through an “interactive function to talk with the user” or possibly through autonomous movement thanks to an internal motor. It would also be capable of acting as Player 2, as “the opponent team of a baseball game,” per Sony’s example.

Further, the robot would potentially be capable of turning off its empathy simulation and “react[ing] against the user” when it “feels unpopular.” This could be the result of telling it to “be quiet,” kicking it, or not charging it in a timely manner.

While the concept is bizarre, there is a practical reason Sony would explore such a technology: improved user engagement. According to the filing, Sony expects a shared viewing experience — yes, even with a robot — would enhance “motivation for playing a game.”

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

This technology is seemingly still in the conceptual phase — where it belongs.

Modifying Gameplay Based on Biofeedback

Another patent filed by Sony in 2018 details a “sensing apparatus and method” that would theoretically attach to controller grips — or, as the filing suggests, be placed over “commonly-used buttons” — and collect biofeedback such as a user’s heart rate or how much they’re sweating. The system would then “modify [the] user experience” based on the collected data.

The patent details several interesting ways that this could be used in games, including decreasing the number of enemies when a user becomes too frightened in a horror game (or increasing enemy counts when the player is “not experiencing emotional arousal”) or creating moments of passive player choice – for instance, a character might enter a fight or flight situation and react based on the player’s biofeedback info.

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

The PS5’s DualSense controller does not allow for the collection of biofeedback, and Sony has yet to announce a peripheral that does. The filing mentions an increased desire for immersion in games, specifically referencing head-mountable displays (i.e. VR headsets), so if this ever comes to fruition, it could be as a peripheral for PSVR.

Data-driven Game Help

This patent for an AI tool details technology that would use player data to provide in-game guidance for specific objectives. The AI would process your data alongside that of other players who previously completed whichever part of the game you’re stuck on, then present you with resources used by successful players to complete that specific objective.

STATUS: CONFIRMED

In Sony’s PS5 UI reveal video, the company seemingly confirmed the AI tool detailed above, though it’s unclear if the hints are being generated by other users – like the notes system in Dark Souls or Bloodborne – or the developers themselves. Sony says it will be implemented in “some PS5 games,” though accessing it will require an active PS Plus subscription. The game help system detailed by Sony allows players to receive objective-based hints right from “the PS5 Control Center”, in the forms of written clues, screenshots, and videos.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/15/first-look-at-the-ps5-ui”]

PS5 “Scene Tagging”

This patent filing details “scene tagging,” a system that automatically generates metadata  — “where the recording or screenshot was taken, who was included… and what objects are found” — for user-created gameplay videos and screenshots. The system would improve the PS5’s search functionality around user-generated content and theoretically “allow viewers to experience the same events that were recorded.” The patent also details a way in which players could “race against the ‘ghost’” of the user who uploaded the gameplay.

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

Sony has confirmed its commitment to making user-generated content accessible on PS5 with the DualSense’s Create button, but as of October the company has yet to detail any systems that allow you to view user-generated content and jump directly into that scenario.

The PS5 UI reveal video did, however, show off a new feature called Activities that allows players to jump into specific gameplay modes or events. While the demonstrated Activity in Sackboy: A Big Adventure was presumably created by the developer, it’s not a massive leap to imagine a future in which Activities could be created based on user-generated content. This could be how Sony plans to let players “experience the same events” that others record, but for now, this feature remains unconfirmed.

The PS5 Controller Design

Sony filed a patent for a new controller design in March 2019, which was approved later that year. The patent drawings showed a controller that looked similar to the DualShock 4.

STATUS: CONFIRMED

The drawings submitted with the patent were confirmed to be accurate when Sony officially unveiled its official PS5 controller, the DualSense, a year later.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=playstation-5-dualsense-controller&captions=true”]

A Controller Capable of Detecting Specific Users

Filed in February 2020, this patent details a way for PlayStation accessories — DualSense, DualShock, Move Motion controllers, PSVR, etc. — to detect specific users based on controller position, orientation, or other data. The system would then prompt that player to sign into their profile.

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

This technology has not been announced by Sony and, barring a last-minute announcement, won’t be built into the DualSense at launch.

A New Way to Reduce Loading Times

The oldest patent on the list, filed back in 2012, details a “system and method… for dynamically loading game software for smooth game play.” The system would essentially identify a load boundary within a game environment, then track player movement so that it knew when that boundary was near. At that point, it would load the next environment into a “standby” memory module to create a seamless transition once the boundary is crossed, effectively eliminating the need for “hidden” loading areas like Mass Effect’s elevators or Tomb Raider’s narrow passages.

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

Speedy loading times are one of Sony’s major selling points for PS5. Lead system architect Mark Cerny previously detailed how PS5’s SSD allows for significantly reduced loading times for next-gen games, though he made no mention of the methodology detailed above. It’s possible that the speed at which the PS5 SSD can load data — “roughly 100 times faster” than PS4’s HDD, according to Cerny — rendered the now eight-year-old idea redundant.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/13/ps5s-ssd-tech-is-far-ahead-of-gaming-pcs”]

AI That Takes Over When a Multiplayer Opponent Quits

This patent details an emulation system that would allow AI to step in for players who quit multiplayer games in the middle of a match. The technology would go so far as to try and replicate the playstyle of the player who quit, according to the filing.

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

Sony has yet to announce any such feature for the PlayStation 5 or PlayStation Network. Some games already have similar systems in place, such as Forza’s Drivatars on Xbox.

The PS5 UI

Sony provided a potential first-look at the PS5 UI through a patent filed in 2017. The patent drawings showed a PS4-like interface that breaks content down into subdivisions for games, internet, music, and more.

STATUS: PARTIALLY CONFIRMED

Sony recently revealed the official PS5 UI, and while the general layout is similar, it’s decidedly different from what was detailed in the patent. Game tiles in the patent filing, for example, displayed game-specific stats, hints, and videos; in the actual UI, game tiles show Trophy progress, Activities, and game-related news.

However, it does share one noteworthy similarity: games and media are broken up into separate sections within the UI, as suggested in the patent.

Hardware-Based Backward Compatibility on PS5

Also in 2017, Sony filed a patent that would allow PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games to run on new hardware, regardless of the architectural differences between systems. While the filing makes no reference to a specific console, “new hardware” was presumed to mean Sony’s next-gen console, now known to be the PlayStation 5.

STATUS: PARTIALLY CONFIRMED

Sony has announced PS5 will be backward compatible with the vast majority of PS4 games, though it won’t have support for PS3 or PS Vita titles, as suggested in the patent.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/now-sony-says-majority-of-ps4-games-will-be-backward-compatible”]

Cloud-based Backward Compatibility on PS5

Sony also explored ways to make past generations of PlayStation games backward compatible via cloud streaming, according to a patent filing. “These games can be run on a virtual machine that mimics the operating system associated with each game console,” a translation of the filing reads.

STATUS: UNCONFIRMED

The PS5 is not launching with cloud-based emulation for PS3, PS2, or PS1 games, though the technology may surface in the future — perhaps as part of Sony’s existing cloud-gaming service, PlayStation Now.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

The PS5 will be released on November 12 in the U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and South Korea; it’ll come to all other territories a week later, on November 19.

For more on Sony’s next-gen console, including the PS5 launch lineup and how it compares to Xbox Series X, head over to IGN’s official PS5 wiki.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.