Sony Working On Personalised “Gameplay Roulette” For Games

Rundown:

• Sony Interactive Entertainment has recently been awarded a patent for a “gameplay roulette” system that randomly selects new video games for players based on their preferences and past gameplay data.
• The system stores player profiles that include preferences and historical gameplay data and selects from a subset of available video games that match their preferences but are not associated with their historical gameplay data.
• The system uses machine learning to identify common gameplay attributes, selects new activities based on those attributes, and filters available video games based on the player’s preferences before selecting new activities.
• New activities are only selected if they meet a certain threshold of exhibiting common gameplay attributes, and the system randomly selects media elements to be interleaved with the new activities during the initiated session.
• The system may be implemented as a pre-built feature on devices like gaming consoles or as a supplementary feature that players can enable or disable.

Earlier today, we came across a recently published patent titled “GAMEPLAY ROULETTE,” filed in October 2021 under SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC. The patent, published earlier this week, describes a system for selecting new video games for players based on their preferences and past gameplay data. The system stores player profiles that include preferences and historical gameplay data. When a player requests a new video game, the system selects from a subset of available titles that match their preferences but are not associated with their historical gameplay data. This allows players to discover new video games while still being tailored to their preferences.

“A method and system for selecting new interactive content titles for users is disclosed. A plurality of user profiles is stored in memory. Each user profile including one or more preferences and historic gameplay data associated with a user associated with the user profile,” reads the abstract for the patent. “A request to select a new interactive content title for the user over a communication network from a client device associated with the user profile is received. At least one of a plurality of available interactive content titles that are not associated with the historic gameplay data is selected. The at least one interactive content titles is selected from a subset of the available interactive content titles that correspond to one or more of the preferences in the stored user profile of the user.”

With a plethora of video game instalments and franchises, browsing through all available options can be overwhelming, even for seasoned players. Factors that could make a video game appealing or not may not be immediately apparent without launching and playing it, making searching for new or unfamiliar video games both time-consuming and inefficient. This is because the experience of participating in interactive activities is difficult to comprehend from marketing materials or review publications fully. Sony Interactive Entertainment aims to address the problem of the inefficiency and difficulty in finding new and unfamiliar video games that a player may be interested in with this patent. It also addresses the issue of players being unaware of certain factors contributing to their enjoyment of a particular gameplay session, making it difficult to identify and search for similar video games. The patent seeks to solve these issues by customising the selection of new video games for players based on their preferences and past gameplay data, allowing them to discover new video games while still being tailored to their interests.

According to the patent’s claims, the system stores information about a player’s preferences and past gameplay data, uses machine learning to identify common gameplay attributes, selects new activities based on those attributes, and initiates a session that includes both the new activities and media elements from the player’s past gameplay data. It then filters available video games based on the player’s preferences before selecting new activities. Additionally, new activities are only selected if they meet a certain threshold of exhibiting common gameplay attributes. In the patent context, “new activities” refer to actions or behaviours that a player engages in while using a device, which can be monitored and analysed to identify patterns and provide insights. These activities can include various interactions with a device, such as scrolling, tapping, typing, clicking, or swiping, as well as other player behaviours, such as reading, watching, listening, or browsing. The patent describes how these activities can be used to generate data and insights that can be used to improve player experiences, personalise content, and provide targeted advertising.

The system randomly selects media elements to be interleaved with the new activities during the initiated session, and the historic gameplay data is recorded and stored for future reference. Additionally, a supplementary machine learning model is used to identify common gameplay attributes across all activities. The available video games are evaluated to identify a subset that exhibits those attributes. The machine learning model associated with the player is also updated over time based on feedback and certain priorities, such as particular video game franchises or developers, received from the player regarding their gameplay preferences. The patent describes that the system can be implemented in two ways; either as a pre-built feature on devices like gaming consoles or as a supplementary feature that players can enable or disable as per their preference.

Although the patent publication presents a fascinating way to introduce personalised and unique video games to players, it’s important to remember that it’s just a patent and not a guarantee of implementation or development. Nonetheless, the patent’s creation reflects Sony Interactive Entertainment’s dedication to enhancing the gameplay experience for players and making it more inclusive to a broader audience. Whether or not the company will integrate this system into its current and upcoming video game technologies and platforms, and when it will happen, remains to be seen, and only time will tell.

What do you think about this? Do tell us your opinions in the comments below!

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Huzaifa Khan

Started out penning short stories in my room, then stumbled upon my real passion for video game and technology journalism. Now, I’m all about playing and writing about them. With experience from VeryAliGaming, eXputer.com, and TheNerdMag, I’m currently dishing out news on Gamesual from my place.