Sony is looking at a technology that will enable players to launch their game at any specific point in it from the get-go.
Dubbed “content streaming with gameplay launch” (thanks Exputer), the app aims to allow players to stream their game from a certain starting point. The idea starkly contrasts the current mechanism where the player has to go from the start until reaching the part of interest or, if available, select a certain chapter to start from, with saved progress in tow.
The notion of the patent is akin to video streaming, which begins streaming at a particular spot where the player left off. This would be, in theory, also tantamount to using a savestate when emulating a retro game. That is, being able to jump at any specific point in-game, even in the most unusual event, such as in the middle of a boss fight or during a cutscene.
However, the patent explicitly seems to not mimic savestate in its complete capacity, as it mentions certain “trigger points” where the player could begin streaming. Meaning, that players can only select their starting point based on available options given. Such a feature, however, would be provided by either the game developer or Sony and will be made accessible from the console’s front end.
