IT House reported on December 12 that according to VGC, Sony Interactive Entertainment has successfully applied for a patent for the path building mechanism in "Death Stranding".
The patent, filed four months before Death Stranding was released on PS4 and just received approval Tuesday, is titled "Terrain Radar and Gradually Building Routes in the Virtual Environment of Video Games," referring to "improving the first path based on the number of times one or more characters traverse the first path."
This patent protects one of the most creative features in Death Stranding, such as the appearance of real paths on the grass when multiple people walk along the same path; players can see buildings, items, markers, etc. left behind by others, and can also open roads, build bridges, and leave items for other players who will visit the same area in the future.
IT House understands that the patent was obtained, which could make it difficult for other developers to use a similar system in their own games unless licensed by Sony.
This isn't the first time a publisher has patented a game mechanic. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. was criticized by some developers after successfully patenting Middle-earth: Shadow Modo. The patent covers a system featuring procedurally generated NPCs that exist in a hierarchy, interact with players, and remember player behavior. Currently, any such system is effectively the property of Warner Bros. Games.