As 3A games routinely approach and even exceed the 100 GB limit in recent years, the problem of disk space becomes more pronounced. That’s exactly why the new patent from Sony has attracted a lot of attention from the industry and gamers.
The patent, titled “asset streaming system and method,” describes a completely different approach to storing and loading games. The basic idea is to separate the key logical files of the game from the massive graphics and audio resources that take up most of the space.
Sony patent for drastically reducing the size of games
According to the description, the user would only download a small starter package of around 100 MB locally. That package contains everything necessary for a responsive game, including logic, controls, and systems that directly affect gameplay. High-resolution textures, sound and other heavy resources would not be stored on disk, but would be streamed from the cloud in real time.
Unlike classic cloud gaming solutions, Sony is trying to avoid key problems here: delay in control and unstable framerate. Since all elements that affect the game’s responsiveness are executed locally, lag should be minimal, even when visual content is pulled from the network.
The patent also predicts behavior in worse network operating conditions. In that case, the system automatically switches to locally saved resources of a lower resolution or pre-buffers parts of the game that are needed in the future. The result would be a temporary drop in image quality, but no choppiness, stuttering or loss of control.
If this kind of system is really implemented in practice, the purchase of a console or computer would no longer be limited by disk capacity. However, it remains an open question whether this kind of hybrid of local gaming and network streaming changes the character of single-player games in the long term and makes them dependent on a constant Internet connection.