Sony's fresh take on multiplayer gaming: bringing co‑op battles to movie screens

Local co-op or competitive gameplay was once a favourite pastime for many. The legendary game Heroes of Might & Magic III is an unbeatable illustration of this trend, which was universally enjoyed despite our less-than-stellar skills. Another example is the team battles in Tekken 5, which drew hordes of friends to game consoles. Nowadays, one-on-one matches in Tekken or FIFA are the norm, with few games focusing on local multiplayer mode.

Although most activities have gone online, Sony is still holding out hope for a revival of in-person, cooperative experiences. The company's new patent suggests plans to host multiplayer gaming events in movie theaters. As an industry trailblazer, Sony seems set on delivering yet another fresh form of entertainment.

What's the idea behind this? Sony aims to forge a cooperative multiplayer gaming experience, accommodating "tens or even dozens of people, all playing simultaneously". But instead of solitary gaming in front of computers, the action will unfold on a movie screen. Each player will be provided with a controller and an in-game "character or avatar". The logistics of this scheme, however, remain unknown.

The patent also hints at the potential of creating such games using augmented reality (AR) technology. This should enable the presentation of multiple viewpoints within the same game - a concept that's hard to envision at this point, yet intriguing on paper.