Originally registered in October 2018, a Sony patent application was recently reinstated. It describes several “computer-aided systems and methods for blocking multi-platform spoilers”.
The application describes a technology that can detect which in-game objects (including activities, characters, or weapons) have already been viewed by players and then prevent them from interacting with content that displays spoilers (whether user-generated content, trophies or screenshots).
“The usage pattern may be similar to that of the ‘hidden trophies’ on the PlayStation 4″ can be found in the patent.
“Developers will be able to mark certain objects within their games as ‘hidden’ using a suitable tool. Details of such objects would remain hidden from players until they are discovered in the game. As with the hidden trophies, players will be able to disable the spoiler lock if they wish.
The patent states that the technology “will be able to allow players to interact with the community around narrative games, safe in the knowledge that they will not accidentally encounter spoilers.
This move is a response by Sony to the recent online spoiler leak in The Last of Us Part II.
Source: VideoGamesChronicle