You “just had to be there” is no longer an excuse to use if Sony’s new patent pans out.

Sony’s working on using VR to put someone into a stadium virtually, and setting up microphones to pick up the sound from the roars from the thousands of viewers there to make it seem like you’re actually at the event, reports Venture Beat.

This new patent, if successful, will give fans another way to experience esports.

Innovation has always been a driving force when it comes to gaming viewership, and this new VR method makes a lot of sense.

Credit: Sony

Sony’s first patent, titled “spectator viewership into an interactive gaming world showcased in a live event held in a real-world venue” is quite a mouthful but it works by inserting PSVR headset-wearing users into a live event at a real-world venue.

Cameras and presence sensors track the VR user and allows them navigate the virtual space while speakers and microphones allow the user to interact with others to complete the immersive experience.

Credit: Sony

The second patent, called “augmenting virtual reality games with friend avatars” is a lot simpler and basically replaces in-game NPCs with friend’s virtual avatars, letting them interact with the player at the sidelines.

That said, there’s still no word on when and where we will see this technology take form but the clues from the patent images suggest that Sony could be forming a “PlayStation Plus League” in the future using this tech.

Credit: Sony