Sony files patent regarding use of AI tech to anticipate player input & reduce lag

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This week, Sony submitted a novel patent employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) aimed at minimizing delay in gaming experiences. The core concept lies in leveraging AI to forecast user inputs based on camera observation and analysis of their behavioral patterns. By learning about the player’s actions, it could potentially lessen latency in online multiplayer games.

Back in 2024, Sony filed a patent titled “Timed Input/Action Release,” which was only recently unearthed by GamesIndustry.biz. The patent with the number WO2025010132 is all about leveraging AI to analyze my gaming behavior and anticipate my inputs before I even make a move, thanks to machine learning!

This system seems strikingly like a combination of rollback netcode used in fighting games, infused with an AI element. For the uninitiated, rollback netcode is a technique utilized in online fighting games that predicts player actions and synchronizes real-time screen information for a smoother gameplay experience. If players don’t act as expected, the game rewinds (or “rolls back”) to correct the error and continues. While it’s uncertain if this is the basis of the new AI-focused patent, the similarity seems too striking to be mere coincidence. Rollback netcode has been a common feature in popular games like Guilty Gear Strive, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8.

In other game types, it’s challenging to determine how effective this philosophy might be due to the scarcity of rollback netcode beyond fighting games. However, if Sony manages to replicate what rollback offers in these specific games for other genres, it would definitely be intriguing to observe. Keep an eye out for future developments and announcements on this topic.

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2025-01-14 21:27