Sony’s New Patent Hints at How Haptic Features Could Evolve In PS6

PlayStation could be evolving its haptic technology for the upcoming PS6 controllers, a new patent by Sony suggests.

Haptic feedback has long been considered a major technological leap over the rumble motors. It provides better immersion for gamers and gives developers a way to increase the impact of sound design in any game. Sony made that happen, and now it seems like it is evolving that feature into something completely new for the PS6.

The new patent titled “Audio Processing System and Method” explains a system that goes beyond immersion and uses sound design in a game, especially for enemies, to promote player responsiveness. It identifies incoming sounds and gives the player feedback so they can respond.

“The sound is analysed to generate a classification, the analysis of a respective sound is performed before the sound is output. This is done because potentially relevant audio properties may only become apparent during the course of playback, by which stage it is too late to provide a visual indication of the sound.”

Some sounds set the ambiance, while others cue what’s coming next. We are not talking about the soundtrack or music, as that’s entirely different. In horror games, jump scares are often followed by a loud noise. The point is that video games include sounds of different natures, and this patent describes a system that identifies how an incoming sound is meant to make you feel.

It can then send different cues depending on the sound. Alongside haptic feedback that accompanies in-game sounds, the system could also use LEDs around the touchpad to indicate a sound’s position, plus an icon, shape, or word on screen to communicate information about it.

Not every sound needs all these cues, as it depends on the sound itself and the system’s ability to interpret it. The patent gives an example as “the rate of attack in the sound envelope might affect brightness or saturation of the visual element; meanwhile volume might affect colour, transparency (or lack thereof) or brightness, whilst the detection of voiced sounds might call selection of a particular graphical element to be optionally modified according to one or more other properties, and so on.”

But how exactly can it be for PS6? The patent says this can apply even to games that don’t have built-in features for it. Haptic features are currently available only in supported games, but this new iteration could be available in every game playable on the platform. So, while some may not have vibration as the cue, other visual indicators could still be possible.

“It is also desirable to provide such facilities for existing so-called ‘legacy’ games, whose code is set and may not be easily adapted to incorporate such a technique. Accordingly, optionally rather than the above techniques being implemented by the game itself, they may be implemented by the operating system or a helper app thereof that is monitoring a legacy game.”

There are still a lot of nuances that come to mind when looking at this patent that could affect existing games. An onomatopoeic icon or on-screen word may not match the game’s aesthetics. Moreover, how well can this integrate with existing haptic feedback technology? 

It’s natural for a patent not to go into detail on these issues because the main focus is the system and its implementation. So, these nuances can be straightened out once the product reaches a shippable state.

What do you think of PS6’s potential new haptic feedback technology? Sound off about this story and all others in our official Discord server.

For more Insider Gaming coverage, read what Miyamoto says about Princess Peach’s evolution in the recently released Mario movies. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Mudassir carries years of experience as a journalist and embodies that in his articles. His motto is “All great ideas come while writing.” When he’s not interviewing someone, he’s on…

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