Sony Patents Game Demos That Rot Over Time

Perhaps this means that those who do speedruns don't have to buy the full thing.

Game demos have long been a way for gamers to try before they buy. Of course, demos often give us only a very small small, often crippled slice of what the full game is like. Sometimes the demo offers a mid-game look, leaving us disoriented in relation to story. Sony's patented a solution to this: give gamers the full game that will rot over time.

According to Siliconera, Sony's patent covers a concept whereby gamers are given the full or nearly-complete game that will slowly have its features removed or disabled as playing time goes on.

Such 'degrading' features include a decrease in weapon level, or the removal of stages and tracks from a racing game. The patent also covers the amount of feedback the players get, as the system can also soften sound effects, change the color depth and brightness of the display.

The delivery of a near-full version of the game would certainly change means of distribution, making downloads of near-capacity Blu-ray Disc games impractical – but we've all lived through a time when demos came on floppies and CDs. Perhaps a purchasable online code would be able to unlock the full game without requiring the gamer to go through a retailer.