Sony Patents a Rewind Button to Rescue Gamers in Tough Spots

For years, the concept of save state functionality has been widely utilized in the emulation scene, but now it seems poised to make a debut on gaming consoles. Recently, Sony’s newest patent has stirred interest by detailing a future PlayStation controller featuring a specific Save State button. This was discovered thanks to sharp-eyed folks at Tech4Gamers, who came across the legal filing on PatentScope. According to the document, players can dive into a ‘rewind mode’ during live gameplay using certain controller inputs, allowing them to revisit recent actions or fast-forward through segments before jumping back into the game. However, we should all remember that patents don’t always evolve into actual products.

For those familiar with various emulator platforms, the mention of a “rewind mode” will likely bring to mind the save and load state functions they routinely use. Nowadays, even Nintendo Switch Online’s retro games boast similar features, offering save states and brief rewind abilities. While the PC world might tie this feature to a key bind and Switch users may rely on specific button combos, Sony seems geared towards offering a dedicated button placed conveniently near the D-Pad for easy access.

Switching our attention to broader adoption outside of emulator apps, save states find a place in other gaming realms as well—not just your standard save files. Take Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, for instance. Released back in 2003 for systems like the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube, the game introduced a unique mechanic where players could reverse time, undoing unfortunate mishaps caused by enemies or environmental traps. This mechanic closely mirrors the system-level save state functionality gamers embrace today, especially when it comes to correcting errors in emulators.

It’s important to recognize that while a button like this could be revolutionary, it won’t be universally applicable. Multiplayer games that demand real-time synchronization between players or servers won’t support such a feature. So, this dedicated button would primarily cater to single-player experiences. This could potentially spur some debate among gaming communities, especially among Soulsborne fans who treasure the stern challenges of fixed difficulty.