A newly published Sony patent could theoretically see future PlayStation games adapting boss fights in real time based on how you deal with their moves, and I sincerely hope FromSoftware isn't listening.

As highlighted by Patentlyze (thanks, Wccftech), the patent for an "AI-adapted non-player character for video game system," AKA US-20260295429-A1, was first filed in the US last March, but was more recently published on October 1. The patent opens by stating that "as video games increase in complexity, there exists a need for continued development of more efficient rendering engines, improved real-time physics simulation techniques, and scalable systems capable of supporting increasingly detailed virtual environments and lifelike NPC interactions."

How does Sony propose doing this? Basically, collecting player data and using it to train a machine learning model to generate content that can then be incorporated into games. It suggests this could be used in several ways, including making NPCs more realistic. It mentions data related to NPCs including "emotional characteristics," suggesting they could have "voices that can shift in pitch, volume, and rhythm depending on the situation, conveying urgency, calmness, fear, aggression, warmth, encouragement, connection, and the like."

Perhaps most interesting to action game enjoyers, however, is the suggestion that this tech could be used to shape boss battles, too.

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