Sony has patented a new AI feature that could show gamers advertisements while they’re waiting for their game to load. The patent could potentially lead to more revenue for Sony, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that gamers would like it.
Ads in games have been controversial for a long time. Though they’ve changed quite a bit over the course of the video game industry’s life, players have been seeing ads and product placements in games dating back to the 1990s. These days, ads are the most prevalent in free-to-play games where game developers may rely on revenue from those advertisements to keep games online and evolving. This new tech, however, wouldn’t necessarily be tied to free games.
Sony Patents System That May Finally Solve Multiplayer Game Pausing Issues
Sony claims a new patent that could finally solve the issue of players having to pause their multiplayer games and improve gameplay.
Sony Patent Could Mean Ads During Loading Screens
Now, Sony has patented AI technology that could detect loading times, make calculations about them, and show players things like ads while they wait for the game to be ready. According to the information in the patent, which was initially filed in 2024 and published on May 21, 2026, when a player reaches a loading screen, the AI would make an estimate of how long that loading screen will last, and will then make a decision to play media or ads accordingly. The ads would be chosen based on their duration, with the ad break being shorter than the loading sequence, so the ad wouldn’t be in the way when the game is ready to play.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
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Gamers may not be overly thrilled with the idea of being bombarded with advertisements while waiting for a match to start. However, in addition to ads, the patent indicates that the technology could potentially show gamers other things to break up loading times, as well. For example, videos from developer or publisher accounts might play, AI-generated highlight reels might be shown, or even AI-generated reports about the player’s upcoming competitors in their next match. In theory, this patent could help to keep players tuned in during game loading screens when they might ordinarily put their attention elsewhere.
This is far from the first time that Sony has filed for a patent on AI or machine-learning technology that could impact gaming. Since 2025, Sony has patented things like creating game guides based on a player’s activity, an NPC system that learns how gamers play and copies their style, or a so-called “AI ghost” that would be able to assist players when they get stuck in games. There are currently no announced plans to integrate any of these technologies into the current PlayStation 5 ecosystem, but that could change at any time.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
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With that said, oftentimes patents are filed by Sony and other game companies that describe technology that never makes it to the consumer. There’s any number of reasons for the tech not making it into actual gaming, like it not living up to internal expectations, or putting too much strain on the current hardware capabilities of PS5 consoles, for example. As such, it remains to be seen if players will be facing ads and other additions to their loading screens in the future, on the PS6, or any other console, for that matter.
