Players would be able to see the name and identity of this player, as well as a rating for how helpful they had been in the past. Associated notes confirm that Microsoft is exploring the idea of this player either being human \u2014 another Xbox gamer keen to help \u2014 or, alternatively, an AI model.<\/p>\n
While the other player (real or not) is in control of your game, another image suggests you’ll be able to chat with them to share advice and receive further explanation behind what they’re doing \u2014 handy if the solution involves some kind of process not immediately apparent just from watching on-screen. It’s not too dissimilar from the Copilot AI already available in the Xbox app<\/a>.<\/p>\n The patent discusses the need to accurately track who was playing when an achievement is unlocked, and also to ensure human helpers are paired with players in the same age range \u2014 so you don’t have a scenario where a child is able to jump in and help slice up zombies in Resident Evil Requiem, for example. <\/p>\n Other features include the ability to pull the plug on this assistance at any point, and also to ultimately choose whether to continue on from where the assistant has left you, or return back to the point where you previously relinquished control.<\/p>\n If all of this sounds familiar, that’s because PlayStation has patented a similar-sounding system<\/a>, albeit a more simplistic one that relies on displaying an AI “ghost” player for you to follow. Both Microsoft and Sony regularly patent all manner of gaming ideas that never ultimately come to pass, though it’ll be interesting to see if this concept bears fruit. <\/p>\n Last month, Microsoft’s newly-installed gaming CEO Asha Sharma responded to concerns around her AI background and said she had “no tolerance for bad AI” as she begins her reign in charge of Xbox<\/a>.<\/p>\n Image credit: Microsoft.<\/p>\n<\/a>“It looks like you’re having difficulty surfing up some stairs.”<\/p>\n