Sony patents technology to pause game and display advertisement

PS3 and PlayStation Vita owners may want to prepare for commercial breaks within their games.  As spotted by a user in NeoGAF, Sony has patented an application that interrupts the current game playing to display an advertisement. Worst idea ever or worst idea ever?

The patent was filed back in July 2011 by Sony Computer Entertainment America under the moniker "Advertisement scheme for use with interactive content".

The description reads: "A method for use in advertising includes initiating playing of interactive content, suspending playing of interactive content, displaying an advertisement, and resuming playing of interactive content."

So imagine you're in the middle of an intense level of God of War: Ascension or and intense match of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.  Next thing you know, a warning message is flashing on the screen warning you that the game will be automatically paused.  Shortly after the gameplay will be suspended and a paid advertisement will appear, such as Sony's "Best Brand Soda. You've got to try it!" commercial.  Following the ad, gameplay will begin again, and the user will have the option to briefly rewind a portion of the game.  Talk about losing the immersion.

And you though 30-second pre-roll advertisements before a video were a bad thing? That looks like nothing compared to this.

Let's try to think of the positives that may come from this. Automatic bathroom breaks? You won't die from playing 72 hours of a game straight a la Diablo 3?

Congratulations Sony, this might be the best patent ever to piss off gamers.  I hope you show this at E3.

[Eurogamer]