Sony is reportedly expanding its PlayStation 5 help system with a network of game experts available to help players deal with a game’s more difficult areas. The report comes from Video Games Chronicle and describes the expert help as an “Uber-style” service, though as yet, the expert help service is still just in patent form.
The patent shows the system as a real-time, text, voice, or video conversation between the expert and player, where the expert offers advice in place of the user having to find information online. These sessions could also be recorded asynchronously based on user search terms, and they would be subject to rankings and feedback.
Players earn expert ranking based on their achievements in a given game. In return, however, the experts would only get in-game rewards or perhaps an additional trophy for their time and effort.
All this is part of Sony’s wider plan to expand accessibility in its games, including plans for an AI system to take over when players run into trouble. Currently, the PlayStation 5 offers short help videos for a handful of games that show how to complete certain tasks. Implementation is not universal, however, as some games, including Returnal, don’t have them.
[Source: PatentScope via Video Games Chronicle]
Published: May 3, 2021 11:51 am