Sony Interactive Entertainment recently published a patent that includes the use of blockchain technology to track in-game digital assets, possibly recreating the scarcity of real-life items that are signed by popular celebrities and sports icons.
The patent was first filed back in 2021, only to resurface to the public just this November. Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation. The company is primarily known for its production of iconic gaming consoles called the PlayStation as well as a variety of other technological products such as televisions, phones, cameras, and many more.
The blockchain patent is called “Tracking Unique In-Game Digital Assets Using Tokens On a Distributed Ledger”. It indicated the use of terms such as blockchain, record digital media assets, and distributed ledger which all are highly synonymous with NFTs and blockchain.
NFTs are non-fungible tokens that have a unique signature recorded within the blockchain. It’s currently used in various web3 applications to provide authenticity and ownership among users. This digital asset is considered to be highly profitable, amassing over $250 million in sales in 2021.
For most people, this patent might mean just another gaming-affiliated corporation taking a step into web3. It is, however, there is something different about the technology it’s pursuing that slightly sets it apart. There are a few takeaways in the uncovering of this patent filing.
First, the obvious. It highlights that Sony is highly interested in pursuing the space of NFT art and NFT gaming despite previous attempts in trying to distance itself previously. Sony differentiated its latest PlayStation Stars rewards program from NFTs, citing that they are not tradeable or sellable for profit.
The large entertainment and media company since then, has taken deliberate steps into venturing into web3. In May 2022, Sony initiated a partnership with Theta labs to launch a 3D NFT collection. PlayStation also…
