We are all familiar with the banning feature, or more commonly known as a “ban,” aimed at cheating in online games or inappropriate written/video communication with other users. However, the situation changes a bit in the world of virtual reality; now, real-time gestures, facial expressions, hand, and body movements are also included in the gaming space. A newly discovered patent from Sony for PlayStation VR targets exactly these kinds of situations.

The “Shadowbanning in a Social Virtual Reality Environment” patent, first discovered by Game Rant , envisages Sony introducing a ban feature on PSVR based on in-game physical movements.

This system allows Sony to monitor inappropriate actions made by players and block them based on specific movements, proximity to other players, and comments. For each violation committed, the player’s safety rating, called a “safety rating,” drops (or their violation score increases), and once a certain threshold is reached, the player is shadowbanned.

If the “shadowban” feature goes live on Sony’s PSVR platform, we will see together how it shapes social interactions in the virtual world. However, we will probably have to wait a longer time for the patent to come to life.

You can access the link to the application made to the US Patent Office here: USPTO Patent 10,994,209