TechSpot reported on a Sony patent for a PlayStation controller that could accept tap-to-pay from phones and credit cards. Shared on r/pcmasterrace, the story passed 6,000 upvotes and 870 comments, and most of them were jokes about where this could lead.
"Pay $5.99 to respawn?"
The most upvoted text reply imagined a game over screen that asks for money. Another commenter wrote out a whole menu: respawn with half health for $2.99, full health for $5.99, skip the boss for $29.99. One summed up the fear in a single line: "Gaming yesterday: press start to continue. Gaming tomorrow: tap credit card to continue."
Others went for wordplay. "Sony Paystation" got plenty of upvotes, and one reply asked whether the controller would prompt you to leave a tip.
A worry for parents
A parent chimed in too, and another commenter joked about a card that just happens to slip out of a purse and land on the controller. The concern is real: the easier it is to pay from the controller, the easier it is for a child to spend money without asking.
Is it actually new?
One commenter pointed out that Nintendo already did something similar in Japan on the Wii U and New 3DS, although they said Nintendo's version only worked with prepaid charge cards. Another said it would be fine if it only saved typing in a card number, but added that nobody really expects it to stop there.
As with any patent, there is no guarantee Sony will ever build it. Companies patent many ideas that never ship.
Where players are heading
A recurring theme in the replies was stepping back. One person said they will stick to older games and their backlog. Another said they spend less and less, playing single player games once they are finished and discounted. That is where physical games shine: a disc or cartridge you already own does not ask for a card to keep playing.