Save states have long been a staple in the world of emulation, but it looks like they might soon make their way onto consoles. Sony has recently filed a patent that suggests future PlayStation controllers could feature a dedicated Save State button. This was uncovered in a legal document on PatentScope, brought to light by the team at Tech4Gamers. According to the document, players would be able to enter a rewind mode seamlessly during gameplay using the controller. It mentions the ability to rewind, fast-forward, and replay recent gameplay and then jump back into live play. It’s important to remember, of course, that not every patent materializes into an actual product.
For those who have used emulators, the idea of a “rewind mode” probably reminds you of the familiar save and load state features. Even Nintendo Switch Online offers save states and brief rewind options in its retro games. The key difference here is that while PC emulators typically use a keyboard shortcut or a custom button combination like the ones on the Switch, Sony is aiming for a dedicated button specifically for this feature. It’s likely this button would be placed close to the D-Pad for easy access.
Beyond emulation, save states have found their way into other gaming applications too. Take, for instance, the 2003 action-adventure title “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.” Originally available on PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube, the game’s signature sands of time mechanic let players reverse time to undo fatal mistakes, much like how save states help in rewriting errors in emulators.
However, there are limitations to this concept. Such a button wouldn’t be compatible with all games, especially multiplayer ones where synchronization between players and servers is key. This kind of feature would primarily benefit single-player games. Some purists might even argue it detracts from the intended experience, particularly fans of the Soulsborne genre, who value a steady and unchanging level of difficulty.
In the dynamic world of gaming, innovations like these always stir up excitement and debate. Whether Sony’s patent will become a reality is still to be seen, but the prospect of dedicated save states on consoles is an intriguing one for gamers everywhere.
