Sony's NFT and blockchain tech patent isn't surprising after PlayStation Stars By Kes Eylers-Stephenson, 15 Nov 2022 FollowtopicsPlayStation StudiosPlayStation StarsIndustry NewsKes Eylers-Stephenson Sony has a patent for NFTs and blockchain technology in video gaming, something that won't be much of a surprise if you have been following the new PlayStation Stars reward programme that featured digital collectables and rewards.PlayStation Stars is out, populating the app with numerous campaigns to complete for digital statuettes and currencies. Given that push, it's perhaps not surprising that a new patent shows Sony is thinking about blockchain and NFT tech for video games. Sony is trying to find PlayStation a way into the blockchainPlayStation Stars might just be the start of a blockchain futureIf you have been keeping up with the PlayStation Stars guide, you'll know that this new Sony patent is probably an idea of the potential evolution of what we are looking at with the current rewards system. The patent is called "Tracking Unique In-Game Digital Assets Using Tokens on a Distributed Ledger," which intends to allow players a modicum of control over video game assets with a controlled market, the creation, modification, and transfers of which could be tracked. As always, patents are just an idea and may never come to fruition. The patent basically states the items would work like the ever-popular methods of trading baseball memorabilia but in the digital space. By being able to actually verify the digital goods, Sony states it could give the goods an actual value using the blockchain and NFTs that use said distributed ledger. “The techniques and technologies described herein expand the capabilities of digital assets associated with video games, and of systems that create and manage such digital assets, by converting the digital assets associated with video games from being fungible to being non-fungible.PlayStation Stars is probably the closest analogue“The techniques and technologies described herein expand the functionality of digital assets associated with video games, and of systems that create and manage such digital assets, by tracking a history of the digital assets. Tracking the history of the digital assets can include, for example, tracking when, how, and by whom the digital asset was created, used, modified, rented to, rented by, sold to, purchased by, licensed to, licensed by, exchanged to, exchanged by, and/or other actions.”Sony’s vice president of network advertising, loyalty, and licensed merchandise Grace Chen has stated that PlayStation Stars isn't an NFT system. The system described in the patent, however, sounds like an evolution of PS Stars that gives actual in-game items value rather than the valueless statuettes and currencies. These blockchain technologies are something that is controversially being tested through NFTs in Off the Grid with Neill Blomkamp's name attached and, of course, the first company to make something that works in this space stands to gain a lot of money. Off the Grid will have items in-game valued using blockchain techBlockchain technologies like Non-Fungible Tokens are often regarded with disdain for not being environmentally friendly and for the lack of any tangible value other than those ascribed to it by the maker. While blockchain currencies like Bitcoin have found popularity and made plenty of traders a lot of money, the market has been fragile and has just recently seen FTX collapse with damaging consequences to hedge funds managing pension schemes and independent traders alike. Well, this news has some wide-reaching effects, but the point stands: PlayStation Stars is probably just the warm-up act for the blockchain mania to follow. What do you think of the patent? Let us know in the comments and check out our best FPS games on PlayStation if Off the Grid caught your eye!PlayStation StarsIndustry NewsPlayStation Studios Written by Kes Eylers-StephensonEditor Kes is our resident expert in PlayStation and Sony news. He writes about PS5 exclusives like Horizon, The Last of Us, God of War, and Death Stranding 2 using experience from years of playing PlayStation games. He also covers PS Plus and trophy news, as well as his favorite games — The Witcher 3, Assassin’s Creed, and some indie gems — before an evening swim.