EMBEDDING OF GAMES INTO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES

• US 20120015725A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Ocko, Matthew Adam, Pincus, Mark Jonathan, Singh, Harsimran, Trampedach, Tim Terence
• Granted Patent: US 8,894,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items

Abstract

Systems and methods for embedding and tracking revenue from fully operational games into third party websites are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a game provider system, an identifier for a user accessing a website having a persistent game embedded therein, the website being a website of a third party;

identifying friends of the user based on the identifier;

determining, using a processor of a machine, whether at least one of the friends is playing the persistent game; and

based on the at least one friend playing the persistent game, providing a notification to the user that the at least one friend is playing the persistent game and inviting the user to join the persistent game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the persistent game is a persistent multiplayer game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier corresponds to a social network identifier of the user and the friends are social contacts of the user on a social network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an incentive to the user to join the persistent game.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a monetization event during a game session after the user joins the persistent game, the monetization event being associated with an action performed by the user via an advertisement provided within the persistent game.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

calculating compensation for an entity associated with the website based on the monetization event; and

allocating the compensation to the entity associated with the website.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the action performed by the user comprises a purchase of an item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the item is an in-game feature for the persistent game.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the action performed by the user is a click-through via the advertisement provided within the persistent game.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the compensation is based on a purchase of a good or service as a result of the click-through.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement comprises one of a branding element.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the advertisement comprises a hyperlink element operative to cause a navigation to an external web site.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving revenue from an external site providing the advertisement, the allocating of the compensation comprising allocating a portion of the received revenue to the entity associated with the website.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising analyzing effectiveness of the persistent game by computing a click-through rate and purchase for various combinations of content including the advertisement embedded in the persistent game.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the persistent game is locked;

based on the persistent game being locked, limiting the user to accessing the persistent game through the website; and

based on the persistent game being unlocked, allowing the user to access the persistent game through any other website providing the persistent game.

16. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a game provider system, an identifier for a user accessing a website having a persistent game embedded therein, the website being a website of a third party;

identifying friends of the user based on the identifier;

determining whether at least one of the friends is playing the persistent game; and

based on the at least one friend playing the persistent game, providing a notification to the user that the at least one friend is playing the persistent game and inviting the user to join the persistent game.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the identifier corresponds to a social network identifier of the user and the friends are social contacts of the user on a social network.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise providing an incentive to the user to join the persistent game.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

tracking a monetization event during a game session after the user joins the persistent game, the monetization event being associated with an action performed by the user via an advertisement provided within the persistent game;

calculating compensation for an entity associated with the website based on the monetization event; and

allocating the compensation to the entity associated with the website.

20. A system comprising:

at least one processor of a machine; and

a game provider system configured to;

receive an identifier for a user accessing a website having a persistent game embedded therein, the website being a website of a third party;

identify friends of the user based on the identifier;

determine whether at least one of the friends is playing the persistent game; and

based on the at least one friend playing the persistent game, provide a notification to the user that the at least one friend is playing the persistent game and inviting the user to join the persistent game.