A Sony patent indicates that PS1, PS2, and PS3 games could be backward compatible through the cloud, according to IGN’s translation of a tweet about the patent.

“A large number of game titles across PS1/PS2/PS3 and various generations of game consoles can be stored and used via the cloud gaming library,” the translation reads. “These games can be run on a virtual machine that mimics the operating system associated with each game console,” which describes an emulator.

Emulation refers to the ability of a computer program in an electronic device to emulate, or imitate, another program or device. Fans can find emulators of all of Sony’s and other companies’ consoles online.

The image in the patent shows drawings of the PS1, PS2, and PS3 being emulated onto separate screens. It’s unclear how this would work or if it’d be connected to the existing PlayStation Now system. This emulation system could be a virtualized solution for backward compatibility, but this isn’t mentioned in the patent documents.

The Twitter user also posted information about another patent in the thread that suggests players might be able to record and create mini-games from their gameplay and even share it with friends via the cloud. 

One Twitter user pointed out that it could be associated with the new DualSense controller’s Create button. Previous Sony patents have mentioned “scene tagging,” which could allow players to “record” playable sections of games and share them.

A patent doesn’t guarantee that the company will follow through with the idea, though. It’s just a legal measure to ensure that other companies won’t do the same thing.

Sony hasn’t announced anything about emulation as backward compatibility, but the company said the top 100 PS4 games will be playable on PS5.

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