PS5 Patent Details Possible New Game Invite System

The PlayStation 5 is set to release later this year, yet we still don't have many details on the console. In fact, most of what we think we know about the PS5 is coming from unverified leaks and rumors, as well as patents. Hopefully, this will change soon, but in the meantime we are going to have to settle for another patent, which seems to possibly reveal that the PS5 is going to make changes to the game invite system.

A recent patent filed by Sony with the United States Patent & Trademark Office reveals Sony has been conducting some experimentation on how game invites work. According to the patent, if a player accepts an invite, it will trigger something in the console to launch said game, even if the player is already playing a game. This isn't a game-changing feature, but it is a nice quality-of-life improvement. However, I know what you're thinking: what if I want to accept an invite, but not immediately be booted from my current game? Well, according to some reports from last year, the PS5 will be able to run multiple applications at once. In other words, save your current state in multiple games. This means, if you're playing a match of FIFA, your progress would be saved if you boot up Fortnite real quick. It's basically the quick start rest mode feature, but expanded. Further, even the patent itself suggests it would load up the new game separately, likely in a smaller screen tucked away in the corner or on the side.

"Systems and methods for establishing a multiplayer gaming session are provided," reads a snippet from the patent. "A method can include selecting at least one invitee computing device from a plurality of invitee computing devices to join the multiplayer gaming session and a game from a list of games for the multiplayer gaming session. The method can include transmitting an invitation to join the multiplayer gaming session to the at least one invitee computing device and causing the at least one invitee computing device to launch the game in a background process with one or more applications running in the foreground at the invitee computer."

Of course, all of this here should be taken with a grain of salt. Not because it's fake, it's a real patent, but because patents often never make it to the consumer market in any shape or form. That said, given previous reports on how game suspension works on PS5, I wouldn't be surprise if this revision to game invites is also rolled out.

PlayStation 5 is set to release sometime holiday 2020. For more news, rumors, and information on the console, click here.

H/T, USPTO and Respawn First.