Amazon's New Patent Has Toxic Users Play Against Themselves
Amazon obtained an interesting patent, according to which toxic players would be quarantined and could only play against other such users.
Amazon has patented an interesting solution for online games. It includes a system in which toxic players would be quarantined and could only play against other "naughty" users. The company filed an application as early as December 2017, but only now has it been approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
We can read in the documentation that matchmaking systems are used to group players according to their skills, but they can also be used for other purposes. Amazon's technology department explains that toxic users can spoil the fun of other players, so it is worth isolating them from the rest of the community.
Applicants indicate that they are aware that "toxicity" is a very blurred term. They themselves provide an example by saying that some people are disturbed by cursing while playing and others have no problems with it. Therefore, the system is supposed to include the possibility for each player to configure what they consider unacceptable. Matchmaking would take such preferences into account when selecting partners for the game.
Similar solutions are used by other companies. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the creators of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, who for some time quietly sent all cheaters to a single island. However, Amazon's move is interesting because it was supported by an approved patent application.
It is not known if the corporation has any plans to actually use these solutions. For the time being, the company has some problems with getting through to the game market. Crucible turned out to be such a big flop, that some time after the launch it was moved back to a closed beta, and last month the project was canceled. Also player impressions from the tests of MMORPG New World were not positive.
