For years, save state functionality has been common in the world of emulators, but it looks like it’s about to make its way over to gaming consoles. Sony has recently filed a patent suggesting a future PlayStation controller could feature a dedicated Save State button. This discovery was highlighted in a legal document found on PatentScope by Tech4Gamers. The document details how users could utilize this feature to rewind gameplay, fast forward, or play past moments before diving back into real-time gameplay. However, it’s important to remember that not all patents end up as actual products.
For anyone familiar with emulators, this ‘rewind mode’ Sony describes sounds very much like the standard save and load state functions we’re used to seeing. Even Nintendo Switch Online lets you save states and use brief rewind windows in their retro games. Unlike the PC emulator approach, which typically relies on key bindings, or the Switch’s custom button combinations, Sony plans to integrate a dedicated button for this function, most likely near the D-Pad for easy access.
In addition to emulators, there are various games that have used save states creatively—and not just in the traditional sense of saving progress. A standout example is “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time,” released back in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube. The game featured a unique ‘sands of time’ mechanic that let players rewind time, potentially avoiding untimely deaths and navigating hazards, much like how save state rewinds can prevent game-ending mistakes.
That said, a system-level save state button isn’t going to be a universal solution. Multiplayer games, which require synchronized game states between different players or servers, won’t support this kind of feature. Such a button is likely to be exclusive to single-player experiences. Some enthusiasts, especially fans of games like those in the Soulsborne series, might argue this could compromise the intended difficulty and purity of certain games.
Remember, while this idea is exciting, it’s still in the patent stage and might not see the light of day in its current form. But if it does, it could change the way we play and interact with our favorite single-player adventures.
