Dynamically adjusting virtual item bundles available for purchase based on user gameplay information

• US 10,421,009 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Harrington, Clifford J., Curtis, Matthew, Koh, James, Smalley, Kellen Christopher, Caldarone, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carter, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US15/783,459
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions

Abstract

This disclosure relates to adjusting virtual item bundles made available to users of on online game based on user gameplay information. In implementations, information relating to prospective usage of the online game is used to classify users according by user type. Responsive to the determined user type of a user, customizations of item bundles in the online game made available to individual users for purchase within the online game may be determined.

Claims

1. A system for offering item bundles for purchase to users of an online game, wherein the offered item bundles are customized to one or more types of prospective usage of the online game by the users, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

execute an instance of the online game, and use the instance to generate state information that is transmitted over a network to client computing platforms, wherein the transmission of the state information over the network facilitates presentation of views of the online game to the users on client computing platforms associated with the users, wherein the users include a first user and a second user;

monitor the users'"'"' usage of the online game;

determine user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online game by the users, wherein the user gameplay information includes a first set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online game by the first user, wherein the first set of user gameplay information includes at least one of in-game actions performed most frequently by the first user and in-game action types performed most frequently by the first user, wherein the user gameplay information further includes a second set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online game by the second user;

determine a first set of users associated with the first user and a second set of users associated with the second user;

determine users'"'"' types for the users based on the monitored usage of the online game such that the users'"'"' types is determined for the users in the first set of users and in the second set of users;

determine a first user type for the first user based on the first set of user gameplay information and the determined user types of the first set of users;

determine a second user type for the second user based on the second set of user gameplay information and the determined user types of the second set of users, wherein the first user type is different than the second user type; and

provide offers to purchase, by the users in the online game, item bundles comprising one or more virtual items usable in the online game, wherein the offers include a first offer and a second offer provided to the first user and a third offer and a fourth offer provided to the second user,

wherein the first offer includes a first set of virtual items that is selected based on the first user type,

wherein the second offer includes a second set of virtual items that is selected based on the first user type, wherein the second set of virtual items is different from the first set of virtual items,

wherein the third offer includes a third set of virtual items that is selected based on the second user type, wherein the third set of virtual items is different from the first and second sets of virtual items,

wherein the fourth offer includes a fourth set of virtual items that is selected based on the second user type, and wherein the fourth set of virtual items is different from the first, second, and third sets of virtual items.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

facilitate a first purchase by the first user of one or both of the first offer and the second offer; and

facilitate a second purchase by the second user of one or both of the third offer and the fourth offer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the users'"'"' usage of the online game includes at least one of in-game actions performed by the users and in-game action types performed by the users.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user gameplay information includes the first user'"'"'s usage of other online games.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein selection of the virtual items in the first set of virtual items is based on in-game actions performed most frequently by the first user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the first offer includes determining a first purchase price of the first offer, wherein providing the second offer includes determining a second purchase price of the second offer, and wherein the first and second purchase prices are determined such that virtual items usable for a user type other than the first user type are offered at a reduced cost.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein facilitating presentation of the online game to users includes facilitating presentation of the online game through graphical devices associated with the users and wherein providing the offers to the users comprises at least one of:

offering to re-ordering a previously purchased offer for a set of virtual items,

offering to fill open slots in a pre-formed item bundle with one or more virtual items, and

creating a new item bundle by selecting all items included therein and presenting the new item bundle to the first user on the graphical device associated with the first user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first user type and/or the second user type are selected from:

i) a collection and harvesting type preferring at least one of resource collection, resource cultivation and resource manufacturing,

ii) a player competition type, preferring competing with other users within the online game, and

iii) a player versus environment type preferring completing quests.

9. A computer-implemented method for offering item bundles for purchase to users of an online game, wherein the offered item bundles are customized to one or more types of prospective usage of the online game by the users, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing, by the one or more physical processors, an instance of the online game, and using the instance to generate state information that is transmitted over a network to client computing platforms, wherein the transmission of the state information over the network facilitates presentation of views of the online game to the users on client computing platforms associated with the users, wherein the users include a first user and a second user;

monitoring the users'"'"' usage of the online game;

determining, by the one or more physical processors, user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online game by the users, wherein the user gameplay information includes a first set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online game by the first user, wherein the first set of user gameplay information includes at least one of in-game actions performed most frequently by the first user and in-game action types performed most frequently by the first user, wherein the user gameplay information further includes a second set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online game by the second user;

determining a first set of users associated with the first user and a second set of users associated with the second user;

determining users'"'"' types for the users based on the monitored usage of the online game such that the users'"'"' types is determined for the users in the first set of users and in the second set of users;

determining, by the one or more physical processors, a first user type for the first user based on the first set of user gameplay information and the determined user types of the first set of users;

determining a second user type for the second user based on the second set of user gameplay information and the determined user types of the second set of users, wherein the first user type is different than the second user type; and

providing, by the one or more physical processors, offers to purchase item bundles comprising one or more virtual items usable in the online game, wherein the offers include a first offer and a second offer provided to the first user and a third offer and a fourth offer provided to the second user,

wherein the first offer includes a first set of virtual items that is selected based on the first user type,

wherein the second offer includes a second set of virtual items that is selected based on the first user type, wherein the second set of virtual items is different from the first set of virtual items,

wherein the third offer includes a third set of virtual items that is selected based on the second user type, wherein the third set of virtual items is different from the first and second sets of virtual items,

wherein the fourth offer includes a fourth set of virtual items that is selected based on the second user type, and wherein the fourth set of virtual items is different from the first, second, and third sets of virtual items.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

facilitating a first purchase by the first user of one or both of the first offer and the second offer; and

facilitating a second purchase by the second user of one or both of the third offer and the fourth offer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first set of user gameplay information includes the first user'"'"'s usage of other online games.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein selection of the virtual items in the first set of virtual items is based on in-game actions performed most frequently by the first user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the first offer includes determining a first purchase price of the first offer, wherein providing the second offer includes determining a second purchase price of the second offer, and wherein the first and second purchase prices are determined such that virtual items usable for a user type other than the first user type are offered at a reduced cost.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein facilitating presentation of the online game to users includes facilitating presentation of the online game through graphical devices associated with the users and wherein providing the offers to the users comprises at least one of:

offering to re-order a previously purchased offer for a set of virtual items,

offering to fill open slots in a pre-formed item bundle with one or more virtual items, and

creating a new item bundle by selecting all items included therein and presenting to the first user on the graphical device associated with the first user.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first user type and/or the second user type are selected from:

i) a collection and harvesting type preferring at least one of resource collection, resource cultivation and resource manufacturing,

ii) a player competition type, preferring competing with other users within the online game, and

iii) a player versus environment type preferring completing quests.