Quick Summary
A Sony patent details a new feature that could be implemented on its controllers in future.
It adds a new universal button to the DualSense that can rewind games, which is likely to cause controversy.
As we all get excited by the PS5 Pro, a Sony patent has been found for a controller feature that could well appear on the DualSense 2 for the PlayStation 6.
If so, it'll continue the brand's focus on innovation, although we're not quite sure how popular it will be.
That's because the feature in question comes in the form of a new button to rewind games if something hasn't gone your way.
Called "Game Play Rewind With User Triggered Bookmarks" and spotted by Tech4Gamers, the patent outlines a system whereby the player can save snapshots of gameplay by hitting a button and, by hitting the same button, can scroll backwards through the timeline after to continue from any of those save points.
In essence, it's a faster, easier way to save gameplay progress without needing to enter a save menu. However, as it would appear on the controller itself, it could be a requirement of all games to offer the service. And some developers might not be so keen.
After all, you could hit the universal button during a particularly tough boss battle, just before you die, rewind and dodge out of the way. That's effectively a cheat mode.
Many current games only offer save functionality at certain points for a reason – to make them more of a challenge. And, as anyone who has played a Forza Motorsport or the F1 games knows, it's very hard not to use a rewind feature if it's offered.
Classic games fans with a retro handheld or bartop arcade machine will likely already be au fait with rewind capabilities – many emulators and the machines that run them offer the feature. And again, if it's there it's hard not to try it out at least once.
But then, old games were super tough anyway, so it often doesn't spoil the enjoyment.
We're not sure the same can be said about a rewind button being fitted as standard to a DualSense.
