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

• US 10,456,664 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• 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:
  US15/962,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20180236351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 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 encourage one or more types of 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 associated with the users, wherein transmission of the state information over the network facilitates presentation of views of the online game to the users on the client computing platforms, wherein the users include a first user and a second user;

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

determine a first user type for the first user based on a first set of user gameplay information and determine a second user type for the second user based on a second set of user gameplay information, wherein the first user type is different than the second user type, wherein both the first user type and the second user type are selected from a set of user types, wherein the first set of user gameplay information is related to monitored usage of the online game by the first user and based on in-game actions performed most frequently by the first user, and wherein the second set of user gameplay information is related to monitored usage of the online game by the second user; and

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

wherein the first offer includes a first set of virtual items that are associated with one or more user types that are different than the determined first user type, and

wherein the second offer includes a second set of virtual items that are associated with one or more user types that are different than the determined second user type.

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 the first offer; and

facilitate a second purchase by the second user of the second offer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the users'"'"' usage of the online game includes in-game actions performed by the first user in the online game.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises online game usage information associated with other users that are associated with the first user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises at least one of (i) the first user'"'"'s usage of other online games and (ii) other users'"'"' usage of the online game, wherein the other users are associated with the first user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises in-game action types performed most frequently by the first user within the instance of the online game.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the first offer includes determining a first purchase price of the first offer, and wherein the first purchase price is determined such that the first set of virtual items are offered at a reduced cost.

8. 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-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 the new item bundle to the first user on the graphical device associated with the first user.

9. 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.

10. A computer-implemented method for offering item bundles for purchase to users of an online game, wherein the offered item bundles are customized to encourage one or more types of 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 associated with the users, wherein transmission of the state information over the network facilitates presentation of views of the online game to the users on the client computing platforms, 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, a first user type for the first user based on a first set of user gameplay information and determining a second user type for the second user based on a second set of user gameplay information, wherein the first user type is different than the second user type, wherein both the first user type and the second user type are selected from a set of user types, wherein the first set of user gameplay information is related to monitored usage of the online game by the first user and based on in-game actions performed most frequently by the first user, and wherein the second set of user gameplay information is related to monitored usage of the online game by the second user; and

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

wherein the first offer includes a first set of virtual items that are associated with one or more user types that are different than the determined first user type, and

wherein the second offer includes a second set of virtual items that are associated with one or more user types that are different than the determined second user type.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

facilitating a first purchase by the first user of the first offer; and

facilitating a second purchase by the second user of the second offer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises online game usage information associated with other users that are associated with the first user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises at least one of (i) the first user'"'"'s usage of other online games and (ii) other users'"'"' usage of the online game, wherein the other users are associated with the first user.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises in-game action types performed most frequently by the first user within the instance of the online game.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the first offer includes determining a first purchase price of the first offer, and wherein the first purchase price is determined such that the first set of virtual items are offered at a reduced cost.

16. The method of claim 10, 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.

17. The method of claim 10, 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.