A recently rediscovered patent Namco Bandai filed back in 1995 for loading screen mini-games will expire on 27th November this year. So what does that mean for the rest of the gaming world and will it be utilised? Um… it’s probably a bit late for that.

In 1995, Namco Bandai patented the ability to run a mini-game during the lengthy loading screens of a game. This much smaller mini-game would be loaded first, keeping the player occupied whilst the main game’s program code then loaded in the background. Very clever my friends…

Load screen lengths weren’t all that bad in 1995, I reckon they got worse as technology and gaming systems progressed and  graphics were updated. A lot of my gaming anguish in the past may have been avoided had this patent not been around, or maybe someone heaps cooler had filed it?? Lol… Namco Bandai… I mean Tales of Vesperia, yes… but their games haven’t been prominent in my collection over the years.

Skyrim load screens were SO painful on the Xbox 360. Accidentally walking back into the house you’d just exited from was always super devastating. Unless I was hungry, in which case it provided a sufficiently long break… almost enough time to make a sandwich. Conclusion? Cheese and Vegemite sandwiches are cool, five minute loading screens are not.

20 years later, the patent is expiring. Yay? Well a lot has also happened in that time with game development, this last few months being the first examples of games with VERY fast loading screens compared to anything previously. Dragon Age: Inquisition has been my most incredible experience so far. Fast travelling between camps takes less that 5 seconds on occasion and the open world is massive. I just don’t know that loading screen games will be anywhere near as relevant come November 27th.

Well played, Namco Bandai.

– Geek and Gamer Girl