Sony appears to be developing some innovative avatar generation software. Using information gathered from recent patents filed by the gaming titan, insiders have uncovered the development of a method that allows for robust character customization like we have never seen before. The development of these tools currently appears unconnected to any mainline title, and it could be a very long time before we see it in action.
The software, only known as “image-based avatar creation,” is designed to allow players to customize an in-game avatar utilizing advanced facial scanning technology. However, the patent was later expanded to include terms such as “real-world objects” and “human body features”. The prospect of hyper-realistic avatar generation tools creates an ocean of possibilities for live service titles as well as single-player narrative-focused games. What better way to create a connection between a player and their digital persona than an extremely accurate representation of the player themselves?
Titles such as NBA 2K have utilized facial scanning tech for character creation before; however, Sony having an in-house software developed for that specific purpose could lead to a much wider utilization of such tech. Sony could use such innovations to push their next line of first-party titles; studios such as Naughty Dog (who excel in the realm of facial animation and cinematics) could use such tools to great effect. It could also be the next step for Sony's VR push, essentially allowing the player to more accurately represent themselves within a VR chatroom.