A listing on PatentScope revealed that Sony Interactive Entertainment filed a patent for a platform where users can bet on esports using cash, bitcoin, or in-game items. The filing was made in 2019 but has only been published this month.
The patent hints a system where spectators of livestreamed esports events can bet on the outcome of the matches using both traditional and cryptocurrencies while watching the games live.
An AI (artificial intelligence) system will be establishing the betting odds based on the history of competing players.
The patent mentioned that the wagers could either be monetary (e.g., traditional money or bitcoin) or non-monetary (e.g., game assets, digital rights, and virtual currency). “Digital rights” could be implying NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
Although it was Sony that filed the patent, it appears to not be a Playstation exclusive since the company also added that it will be ported to consoles “made by Microsoft or Nintendo or other manufacturer virtual reality (VR) headsets, augmented reality (AR) headsets, portable televisions (e.g., smart TVs, Internet-enabled TVs), portable computers such as laptops and tablet computers, and other mobile devices including smartphones.”
Another prominent video game company that is becoming invested with cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology would be Ubisoft. The major video game development studio has joined the Tezos project as a corporate backer in April to maintain the blockchain by checking the validity of the transactions.
