The world of gaming might be seeing a leap into a far more interactive and immersive experience, courtesy of a trailblazing innovation. A recently published patent US11813536B2 titled 'Extended-reality projectile-firing gaming system and method' looks to address some pressing issues in the current gaming landscape.
Imagine playing a digital game, but you're not just mashing buttons on a control pad, you're physically involved. You're holding a pretend gun, shooting pretend ammunition. But with a special system to track your hits, the game knows exactly how good your aim is and how quickly you 'fired'. It's the dream of every child who's ever played cops and robbers or army games, but with a high-tech twist.
Currently, most video games, especially online shooters, require players to use separate equipment and accessories for different weapons in the game. Besides, when your character dies in the game, there's no real-life reflection of that event.
The new patent aims to solve these issues by creating an immersive gaming environment where a single pretend gun or ‘blaster’ can be used to represent a whole range of digital weaponry. If your character gets hit, your stats are affected, reflecting what's happening in the game in real time. Open a box with a power-up, and your blaster might change from a basic shooter to a top-end weapon. It even solves the issue of players continuing to play after their character is 'eliminated', adding a new dimension to the gaming experience.
This revolutionary system could bring about considerable transformation in how we perceive gaming. Once fully realized and made commercially available, it's not hard to imagine groups of children and adults alike taking to parks or dedicated spaces to engage in extended-reality battle games. It brings the excitement of video games out of the living room and into the real world, turning a traditionally sedentary activity into a more active, social one. The invaluable addition here is integrating physical activity with the excitement of gaming, marking a symbiosis which has potential to change bespectacled, couch-loving gamers into outdoor enthusiasts.
Of course, as thrilling as this prospect may be, it's crucial to remember that it's just a patent for now, with no surety of when - or, indeed, if - this system will come to market. But this patent certainly holds up a tantalizing view of how our gaming experience could be elevated in the not-so-distant future.
P.S. This text is based on the patent US11813536B2. There is no guarantee if and when this will be on the market.