Sony Files Patent for VR Gameplay Recording

As the business continues to investigate possible new features for VR headsets, Sony has filed a new patent for capturing VR games. PlayStation VR2, Sony’s newest VR headset, will be available next month with a launch roster of over 30 first-party and third-party games.

Sony’s PlayStation VR2 is a significant generational advance in VR technology that builds on the success of the first PS VR headset. The PS VR2 headset has a bright OLED display with a resolution of 2000×2040 per eye and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Furthermore, the headgear takes advantage of the PS5’s technological capabilities and functions through a needed USB-C connection on the console’s front. Sony’s PS VR2 was created in response to player feedback from the initial PS VR headset and research to enhance the overall VR experience. The business is still researching and patenting new VR concepts, which might eventually get integrated into the PS VR2 headset through firmware upgrades.

Recently, Sony Interactive Entertainment submitted a new patent that would enable a VR headset to capture games for live broadcasting. The “video recording and playback system and techniques” patent, in particular, describes a system for streaming PS VR2 gaming to sites like Twitch and YouTube by capturing a broader field of view. Viewers that watch gaming from a PS VR2 user’s headset have a lower probability of developing motion sickness by having a wide FOV. Sony’s recent patent depicts this approach with figures that seem to show a PlayStation VR2 user and the interior of the headset.

According to the latest patent, VR recording would generate the FOV for the main PS VR2 user while generating a lower-quality image of the surrounding virtual world. For the main user, a rendered FOV would be provided, and a second combined render would be recorded for additional users. This composite render would be optimised for stream viewers and would eliminate elements that cause motion sickness. Furthermore, the PS VR2 headset would analyse player skills and adjust in real time.

The most recent patent from Sony describes VR gameplay recording from what looks to be the PS VR2 headset in great detail. The corporation has yet to make any firm plans regarding gameplay recording with PS VR2. This new recording function, however, may be directly deployed through future firmware upgrades. Sony, for example, added additional features to the PS5 through firmware upgrades, such as 1440p support and game lists.

PS VR2 will be available on February 22nd, with a number of supported games such as Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village, and Tetris Effect: Connected. PS VR2 owners may soon be able to directly broadcast gameplay from these games to sites like Twitch and YouTube.