Sony has patented a new artificial intelligence feature that can show players ads while they wait for a game to load. The patent could potentially lead to more revenue for Sony, but that doesn't necessarily mean gamers will like it.
Ads in games have long been controversial. Although they have changed quite a bit over the course of the video game industry's lifetime, gamers have seen advertisements and product placement in games since the 1990s. Nowadays, ads are most prevalent in free-to-play games, where game developers can rely on revenue from these ads to keep games online and developing. However, this new technology is not necessarily associated with free games.
Sony is patenting a system that may finally solve multiplayer game pausing issues
Sony is claiming a new patent that could finally solve the problem of players having to pause their multiplayer games and improve gameplay.
Sony's patent may mean ads during loading screens
Now, Sony has proprietary AI technology that can detect load times, do calculations with them, and show players things like ads while they wait for the game to be ready. According to information in the patent, which was originally filed in 2024 and published on May 21, 2026, when a player reaches a loading screen, the AI will estimate how long that loading screen will last and then decide to play media or ads accordingly. Ads would be selected based on their duration, with the ad break being shorter than the loading sequence, so the ad won't get in the way when the game is ready to play.
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Players may not be too excited about being bombarded with ads while waiting for a match to start. Beyond ads, however, the patent suggests that the technology could potentially show players other things to reduce load times. For example, videos from developer or publisher accounts can be played, AI-generated highlights can be displayed, or even AI-generated messages about the player's upcoming competitors in their next match. In theory, this patent could help keep players tuned in during the game's loading screens when they might normally focus their attention elsewhere.
This is far from the first time Sony has filed for a patent on AI or machine learning technology that could affect gaming. As of 2025, Sony has patented things like creating game guides based on player activity, an NPC system that learns how players 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.
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As a result, Sony and other game companies often file patents that describe technology that never reaches the consumer. There are many reasons why this technology hasn't made it into actual gaming, such as not meeting internal expectations or putting too much strain on the PS5's current hardware capabilities. As such, it remains to be seen if players will face ads and other additions to their loading screens in the future, be it on the PS6 or any other console.
