Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) is not immersive casino metaverse on its own, but it has the technological capabilities to make the casino metaverse immersive. We need to tackle major policy and infrastructure challenges before we can make such an endeavor a reality. New haptics, eye tracking, motion control, in the PS5. The new Sony PlayStation Network (PSN) policies and moderation tools make it an uphill battle. To enable expanded introduction of actual-money gambling, a whole new payment methodology is needed. It will further require a total reinvention of existing moderation procedures to encourage positive gaming experiences while discouraging unnecessary or harmful use.
Technical Capabilities of PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 includes a number of features that would lay the groundwork for a casino metaverse that feels truly enticing and exciting. Together, the DualSense controller’s haptics and adaptive triggers offer visceral feedback to bring a heightened reality to the world of gaming. Experience the tactile feedback as you swipe, touch, spin and pull your way through a deck of cards or onto a roulette wheel or penny slot machine. Expectedly, this new technology affords a vibrant, immersive, and engaging world that enchants players.
On top of that, the PS5’s eye tracking and motion control capabilities create exciting opportunities for interaction in a virtual casino. Players are able to use motion control to wave at other players. Whether they’re looking up and down at the virtual universe or moving digital tokens and cards with stunning accuracy, they are engaged. When combined with the console’s 4K visuals, these features could allow developers to produce a visually striking and super interactive casino metaverse.
Policy and Moderation Challenges
Despite the PS5's technical prowess, significant policy and moderation issues would need to be resolved before Sony could introduce actual-money gambling to the PlayStation Network. Currently, the PSN prohibits actual-money gambling. Integrating such a feature would require a new payment system to handle financial transactions and ensure compliance with gambling regulations. This new system would have to be very secure, very reliable, and very good at preventing fraud and money laundering.
PlayStation’s current moderation tools largely ignore single player and non-multiplayer experiences. They would be woefully inadequate to supervise an ongoing digital space in which real-money gambling is permitted. We need to go beyond these tools to address big issues. This includes responsible gaming advertising, age verification procedures, and mechanisms to prevent addictive, compulsive behavior. The moderation system will need to be powerful enough to address players’ cases against one another. Further, it needs to address scams and predatory practices.
Existing Examples and Future Possibilities
Though real-money gambling isn’t allowed on the PSN, virtual gambling experiences are already present on the platform. The Four Kings Casino and Slots, for example, allows players to engage in various casino games using virtual chips or tokens for entertainment purposes. These chips have zero net real-world value. The game is designed to provide an entertaining social experience, with none of the risks associated with real-money gambling.
The Four Kings Casino and Slots shows that casino-style games can work on the PlayStation platform. If Sony were to introduce actual-money gambling, it could build upon this foundation by creating a more immersive and regulated environment. To provide a quality and safe experience for players, we will require the event to have strong security protocols in place. We’ll be bringing in responsible gaming tools and a robust moderation system.
