Sony Patent Shows Plan To Track In-Game Digital Assets with NFTs

A new patent filed last year suggests that Sony is planning to track in-game assets using NFTs. Sony kept the patent a secret until Eurogamer reported about it recently. It’s dubbed "Tracking Unique In-Game Digital Assets Using Tokens on a Distributed Ledger."

According to Sony: “In traditional video games, no one digital asset is unique from other instances of the same in-game item. As a result…there is no way to know, track, or authenticate a history of a particular instance of an in-game item”. 

The patent features a diagram that outlines how Sony will use a distributed ledger to track in-game digital assets. This means following how ownership of a digital asset changes, including its visual appearance and metadata.

With NFTs offering a unique way to prove ownership, Sony sees a huge opportunity for game lovers. Therefore, the company aims to record digital assets, gameplay, video clips, and include a unique token for the digital item.

According to the patent, players will be able to track the history of an in-game item as it moves from one individual to another. The idea represents a key use case for NFTs.

The patent states that before NFT technology, there was no way to tell the difference between "a specific instance of an in-game item that a famous player of the video game used to win a famous tournament from any other instance of the in-game item."

Sony’s Growing Interest In NFTs

Sony recognizes the importance of these unique items for gamers. There are few players who wouldn’t be excited to use or own unique items associated with respected celebrities or a special gaming event.

As noted earlier, Playstation filed the patent last July. Interestingly, even before the patent became public knowledge, Sony had shown some interest in NFTs.

In August 2022 during EVO 22, Sony conducted a player survey. The focus was on the kind of NFTs these players might be interested in purchasing. Some of the top answers included Evo-based NFTs, esports, PlayStation items, music artists, and players' favorite game characters.