The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the advancements in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, a surge in demand for realistic gaming experiences, the proliferation of powerful gaming hardware, and growing importance of technologies such as VR headsets, motion tracking systems, haptic feedback devices, and high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs). In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.5 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Online gaming in technology: immersive gaming. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 1.6 million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the technology industry, there are 185+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Immersive gaming is a key innovation area in online gaming
Immersive gaming denotes a gaming encounter that completely engrosses the player’s senses, constructing an exceptionally lifelike and interactive virtual setting. This entails incorporating technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to elevate the gaming experience and deliver a more authentic and engrossing gameplay.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 190+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of immersive gaming.
Key players in immersive gaming – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to immersive gaming
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) | 164 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Supercell | 86 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fujifilm | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ZeniMax Media | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Electronics | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nintendo of America | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | 78 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dwango | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Konami Digital Entertainment | 38 | Unlock Company Profile |
| InvenSense | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xiaomi | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Disney Enterprises | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Universal City Studios | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Razer Asia-Pacific | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BANDAI NAMCO Studios | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NetEase (Hangzhou) Network | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SQUARE ENIX | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SteelSeries ApS | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cygames | 63 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft Technology Licensing | 87 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment America | 82 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | 142 | Unlock Company Profile |
| COLOPL | 67 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bigben Interactive | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Square Enix | 52 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft | 164 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Gree | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BANDAI NAMCO Games | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Capcom | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Novomatic | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Immersion | 140 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 550 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sharp | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nintendo | 507 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Team Lab | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hal Laboratory | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Magic Leap | 99 | Unlock Company Profile |
| WinView | 65 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SUGATSUNE KOGYO | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Valve | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Play Impossible | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xiaomi | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wikipad | 118 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nant | 91 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cubios | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in immersive gaming, Nintendo is one of the leading patents filers. The company’s patents are aimed at describing a portable gaming system that comprises a user-gripped housing with an accessible liquid crystal display, along with user-operable input devices integrated into the grip. It is equipped with a connector to connect to portable storage media containing video game programs. The system utilizes two sets of processing circuitry: one for handling video game programs following a first program specification, and another for processing programs following a distinct second program specification. Other prominent patent filers in the space include Sony Group and Tencent.
In terms of application diversity, Sony Group leads the pack, while Nant and Nintendo stood in second and third positions. By means of geographic reach, WinView held the top position, followed by The Saudi Public Investment Fund and Nintendo.
Immersive gaming represents a pivotal shift in the gaming industry, offering players an unprecedented level of engagement and realism. It transports gamers into intricately designed virtual worlds where they can interact with environments and characters in a deeply intuitive manner. This heightened level of immersion enhances the overall gaming experience, making it more captivating and memorable. Immersive gaming is not only a source of entertainment but also serves as a powerful tool for education, training, and simulation. With the continual advancements in technology, particularly in VR and AR, the potential for immersive gaming to revolutionize how we engage with digital content is substantial.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
Data Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
