Highlights
Sony is showing interest in developing new technology for maintaining large online servers for MMO games after a decade-long absence from the genre.
The patent application titled "MASSIVE MULTI-PLAYER COMPUTE" recently published outlines a strategy for effectively distributing computing resources to densely populated zones within the gaming environment. The objective is to enhance server load management, indicating a potential interest from Sony in venturing back into the MMO genre. Furthermore, speculations about a multiplayer spinoff of the Horizon games fuel the anticipation among fans, yet only time will reveal if these aspirations come to fruition.
Sony has recently revealed in a patent application their plans to develop new technology for maintaining large online servers for MMO games. Although Sony has previously released a few MMOs, it has been over a decade since they last embarked on such a project.
Throughout the years, Sony has been responsible for creating numerous beloved video games, yet they have never made a strong impact in the MMO genre. In 2004, the company released EverQuest II, a sequel that did not achieve the same level of success as its predecessor, the groundbreaking MMO EverQuest. In 2011, they co-published DC Universe Online through a subsidiary company called Sony Online Entertainment. However, in 2015, the parent company sold Sony Online Entertainment to an independent investor, and the studio was rebranded as Daybreak Games. Despite no longer being under Sony's control, Daybreak Games continues to provide support for these older MMOs. However, controversy has arisen due to their attempts to introduce predatory features to EverQuest II.
However, there are indications that Sony is planning to reenter the MMO genre based on a recently published patent application filed in April of this year. The patent, titled "MASSIVE MULTI-PLAYER COMPUTE," outlines innovative techniques and systems for optimizing resource allocation in online games. Its primary focus is on improving the distribution of computing power on MMO servers when there is a surge of players congregating in a particular area within the game world. Presently, the sheer volume of players can overload MMO servers, making it crucial to develop technology that effectively manages server load.
Sony's new technology aims to predict player concentrations in a game world and allocate computing resources accordingly. Factors such as timed challenges, local time zones, and the popularity of events or game regions would be considered in this prediction process. The patent suggests that Sony may be interested in exploring the MMO genre, possibly linked to rumors of a multiplayer spinoff of the Horizon games. However, the application process for the "Massive Multiplayer Compute" patent is still ongoing, so fans may have to wait to see if these plans come to fruition.
