A newly published Sony patent appears to suggest the company is looking into introducing backwards compatibility to future versions of its PlayStation console.
The document, published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, outlines a process whereby textures in older video games are remastered for higher resolution displays.
Backwards compatibility refers to a feature that enables older video games to work on newer games consoles.
The process would be done “on the fly”, according to the filing, and could mean that games from older generation consoles would look slightly improved on their original appearance when played on new gaming systems.
The patent has been taken by some as a sign that PlayStation is exploring the idea of introducing backwards compatibility to its consoles.
While Sony’s console does not currently support the feature, its main rival, Xbox, does.
The current generation Xbox One console line-up offers backwards compatibility for both Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, with the list of playable titles regularly expanding.
The Sony patent offers no clue on when the next PlayStation hardware is likely to appear, but a next-generation console has been heavily rumoured to be in development.
