Ghost Player AI: Sony's Patent Read Through Accessibility

When you get stuck in a boss fight or puzzle and frustration sets in, the solution is often a guide, a video, or an assistance option. A recent patent awarded to Sony Interactive Entertainment takes this concept a step further: a “Ghost Player AI” that can show you what to do … and, if necessary, do it for you .

Before shouting about the announcement of a new PlayStation feature, an important premise: a patent is not a product . It's legal protection for an idea and its possible implementations. That said, the document is interesting because it describes in very concrete terms how an "intelligent" assistance system could evolve, with direct implications for accessibility.

But it's equally important to clarify right away: not every form of automation is, in itself, a good solution in terms of accessibility. The quality of these systems depends entirely on how, when, and for whom they are designed.

From “Game Help” to interactive support

In recent years, PlayStation has already experimented with integrated support tools (such as contextual help and content that can be recalled during the session). The Ghost Player patent suggests an evolution: no longer (just) static suggestions, but reactive , contextual assistance that can "enter" the game.

What does the Ghost Player AI patent describe , in simple terms

The patent published as WO2025080356A1 (publication April 17, 2025 ) discusses a “ghost assistance” system that generates a “ghost” in the game: a representation that can guide the player or act on their behalf, depending on the selected mode. ( patents.google WO2025080356A1 )

The two key modes

1. Guide Mode The ghost shows you the path or strategy: a sort of “demonstration” superimposed on the gameplay (overlay) to indicate movements, timing, solutions.

2. Complete Mode Here the proposition becomes radical: the ghost can take control and complete a specific section/action, allowing you to overcome the obstacle and continue playing.

   
   

Natural language interaction

Among the most interesting elements, the patent includes “natural” queries (questions in common language) to invoke help in a contextual way, for example asking how to overcome a specific obstacle.

Training on “footage” and gameplay data

The document outlines the idea of a model trained on footage and gameplay data from multiple sources. Some journalistic accounts explicitly suggest platforms like YouTube/Twitch and network telemetry as possible sources, but this point is often presented as an interpretation, not as a predetermined operational detail. ( TechRadar )

These hypotheses should not be confused with decisions already in place: the patent does not detail specific sources or concrete training methods, and many readings circulating online likely reflect public debate rather than already-defined choices.

Because this idea (really) touches on the topic of accessibility

If we frame the Ghost Player as an accessibility tool, the promise isn't to "cheat," but to reduce barriers . Not all game difficulties are "fair challenge": some are obstacles related to tight timing, rapid inputs, managing multiple commands, fatigue, or motor limitations. In these cases, a scalable system can make the difference.

Potential Accessibility Benefits

• Scalable assistance : from “explain to me how” to (for example) “you do it for 20 seconds”, with immediate return of control to the player.

• Reduced frustration and abandonment : Help can be activated when the user is “stuck”, without having to exit the game or look for solutions elsewhere. ( VGC )

• Personalization : In theory, an AI assistant can adapt suggestions and interventions to the context (where you are, what you've already tried, what error patterns emerge).

Risks and open questions (also for accessibility)

Accessibility isn't just about "making it easier": it's also about preserving autonomy, dignity, and control . A Ghost Player who "takes over" the game introduces sensitive issues.

1) Player Agency

When AI plays for you, the experience risks becoming passive observation. Therefore, from an accessibility perspective, the following are essential:

• explicit activation (opt-in),

• time limits and by type of activity,

• clear feedback on what the AI is doing.

  
  

2) Progress, achievement, integrity

If a system completes sections, how are rewards and progression managed? The patent includes hybrid approaches and metrics related to the use of assistance, a sign that the topic is recognized.

3) Privacy and data governance

If the AI is trained or updated via gameplay/telemetry data or footage, you need transparent policies on:

• what is collected,

• how it is anonymized,

• how it is used for training or inference,

• How to manage third-party content.

The "trajectory" of Sony patents: not an isolated case

The Ghost Player fits into a recognizable vein of patents geared towards adaptive assist and selective auto-play .

• Gameplay assistance with threshold logic and help activated when performance drops below a certain level (US20250058227A1). ( patents.google US20250058227A1 )

• Auto-playing Game Portions (US12350589B2): Formalizes the idea of automating segments, also saving metrics related to the use of auto-play. ( patents.google US12350589B2 )

• The Ghost Player (WO2025080356A1) appears to combine these concepts with more “human” interaction (natural language) and a ghost that can display or complete. ( patents.google WO2025080356A1 )

The overall picture suggests one direction: making care more integrated, contextual, and potentially “smart,” with accessibility as a possible motivator (or at least a concrete benefit).

What to really expect

As of January 26, 2026, the Ghost Player is an idea formalized in a patent, not an upcoming feature announcement. The patents:

• they may never reach the market,

• they can come in different forms,

• can be “partially” implemented (e.g. only advanced guides, without complete modes).

However, if Sony decides to pursue this concept, the challenge will be one: to transform a powerful idea into a truly inclusive tool , preventing it from becoming an invasive or opaque shortcut.

Conclusion

Ghost Player AI is an interesting sign: not because "AI will end games," but because it presents a new way of understanding assistance. If designed well, it could become an enabler of access for those currently excluded from parts of the gameplay due to motor, cognitive, or fatigue issues. If designed poorly, it risks taking away control and the meaning of the experience.

In the near future, the question will not be “will AI play for us?”, but: who decides when, how much and how AI intervenes .