From Apex Legends' Ping system in aid of accessibility to Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system, there are many surprising patents out there.

When it comes to safeguarding and protecting ideas, and inventions, developers and publishers will sometimes go that extra mile by taking out patents. As you might already know, developers can file patents to gain sole rights to a new innovation or creation, and protect it from being for a certain amount of time by competitors. It could be anything from a new feature in a game, something that's been developed for hardware, or an original element of gameplay. Once a patent file request has been approved, others can't create or use the same feature or replicate it without the owner's permission. There are now a number of video game patents out there right now that may well surprise you.