Imagine being able to download your favorite games on the PS5 faster than ever before. This could soon become a reality, as Sony is working on a revolutionary patent that could fundamentally change the download experience for PlayStation games.
The challenge of larger game files
In the world of video games, huge download sizes have become the norm. From "Call of Duty MW3" with its massive 140GB to "Baldur's Gate 3" and its 100GB - downloading games can often be frustratingly long. Especially on the PS5, despite its lightning-fast SSD that loads games incredibly quickly, downloading is a patient affair.
The limits of the PS5 SSD
The built-in 825GB SSD of the PS5, which actually offers only 667.2GB of usable storage space, fills up quickly. Several games with over 100GB in size not only take up a lot of space but also require a lot of time to download.
Sony's innovative patent
As reported by VeryAliGaming, Sony may have found a solution to this problem. The new patent describes "a method for accelerating the start time of an application" by downloading games in sections. Particularly exciting: "Gameplay information is linked with the application section information".
What does this mean for players?
In theory, players could access each downloaded section before the entire game is downloaded. Gameplay metrics, based on the wide PlayStation gaming community, could be used to determine the size of each installation section. This means more efficient downloads and a faster entry into the game.
Comparison with existing features
Some PS5 games, such as "Elden Ring," "FFXV," and "Just Cause 3," already allow playing the game before it is fully downloaded. Sony's new patent could expand this feature by downloading even more playable sections that are intelligently organized based on player metrics.
Outlook for the future
Although this is a patent - and therefore not necessarily a feature actively being developed for the PS5 (or beyond) - there is no doubt that many PlayStation fans would welcome such an update. With the ever-growing download sizes of games, such innovation may be the solution to improve the gaming experience.
If Sony's patent becomes a reality, we could experience a new era of gaming where long wait times for downloads are a thing of the past.
