SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ROTATING DROP RATES IN A MYSTERY BOX

• US 20150352436A1
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: PIERON, Luc, Baxter, Thomas, Rull, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 10,307,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method configured to enhance gameplay between users in an online game and to provide enhanced interest in virtual goods associated with collections of virtual goods through the ability to rotate drop rates associated with these virtual goods from time to time. The system and method includes the provision of functionality which allows providers of online games to periodically rotate drop rates associated with mystery boxes in order to maintain and/or generate additional interest in specific mystery boxes. As a result, it is possible for game operators to enhance revenue opportunities associated with these boxes even in the case where such boxes have been available for a relatively lengthy period of time and/or where players would have otherwise lost interest in specific boxes.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating chance-based in-game virtual item distribution, the system comprising:

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

execute an instance of an online game and to implement the instance of the online game to facilitate participation in the online game by users via client computing platforms;

maintain inventories of virtual items under the control of the users, and to store associations between the users and virtual items under their control;

effectuate presentation to users, through a shop interface, offers to sell probability item bundles, individual ones of the probability item bundles being associated with sets of potential awards usable in the online game, the probability item bundles including a first probability item bundle being associated with a first set of potential awards, the first set of potential awards including a first individual award and a second individual award,

wherein individual awards in the sets of potential awards are associated with different distribution probabilities such that the first individual award is associated with a first distribution probability and the second individual award is associated with a second distribution probability, and

wherein purchase of probability item bundles by users results in the addition of purchased probability item bundles to inventories of the users such that responsive to purchase of the first probability item bundle by a first user, the first probability item bundle is added to a first inventory of virtual items under the control of the first user;

receive activation requests from users for probability item bundles under their control, and to stochastically distribute potential awards to the users in accordance with award probabilities associated with the individual awards such that, in response to receiving an activation request from the first user for the first probability item bundle subsequent to purchase of the first probability item bundle by the first user, one of the individual awards from the first set of potential awards is stochastically selected in accordance with the distribution probabilities associated with the individual awards, and the selected individual award is distributed to the first inventory of virtual items under the control of the first user; and

adjust distribution probabilities associated with individual awards included in sets of potential awards in a predetermined manner in response to predetermined triggering criteria being met such that, in response to the predetermined triggering criteria being met subsequent to purchase of the first probability item bundle by the first user, one or both of the first distribution probability and/or the second distribution probability are adjusted in a predetermined manner.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to facilitate entry and/or selection of one or both of said triggering criteria and/or said distribution probabilities.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a level of previous purchases of said first probability item bundle by said first user breaching a purchase threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined manner for adjusting said distribution probabilities comprises increasing said one or both of said first distribution probability and/or said second distribution probability.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a number of purchases within a given period of time of said first probability item bundle by a collective group of users that participate in said online game.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to a higher probability in connection with a lower level of purchases.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a current level of inventory of said first probability item bundle held by said first user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to a higher probability in connection with a higher level of inventory.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a spend velocity associated with at least one of said probability item bundles within a given period of time by a collective group of users that participate in said online game.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to higher probability in connection with a lower level of spend velocity.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes revenue associated with said online game within a given period of time by a collective group of users that participate in said online game.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to higher probability in connection with a lower level of revenue.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a messaging component configured to notify users of a change in at least one of said distribution probabilities.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said adjustment of distribution probabilities is limited in time.

15. A computer-implemented method for facilitating chance-based in-game virtual item distribution, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more processors executing computer program components, the method comprising:

executing an instance of an online game and implementing the instance of the online game to facilitate participation in the online game by users via client computing platforms;

maintaining inventories of virtual items under the control of the users, and storing associations between the users and virtual items under their control;

effectuating presentation to users, through a shop interface, offers to sell probability item bundles, individual ones of the probability item bundles being associated with sets of potential awards usable in the online game, the probability item bundles including a first probability item bundle being associated with a first set of potential awards, the first set of potential awards including a first individual award and a second individual award;

wherein individual awards in the sets of potential awards are associated with different distribution probabilities such that the first individual award is associated with a first distribution probability and the second individual award is associated with a second distribution probability, and

wherein purchase of probability item bundles by users results in the addition of purchased probability item bundles to inventories of the users such that responsive to purchase of the first probability item bundle by a first user, the first probability item bundle is added to a first inventory of virtual items under the control of the first user;

receiving activation requests from users for probability item bundles under their control, and stochastically distributing potential awards to the users in accordance with award probabilities associated with the individual awards such that, in response to receiving an activation request from the first user for the first probability item bundle subsequent to purchase of the first probability item bundle by the first user, stochastically selecting one of the individual awards from the first set of potential awards in accordance with the distribution probabilities associated with the individual awards, and distributing the selected individual award to the first inventory of virtual items under the control of the first user; and

adjusting distribution probabilities associated with individual awards included in sets of potential awards in a predetermined manner in response to predetermined triggering criteria being met such that, in response to the predetermined triggering criteria being met subsequent to purchase of the first probability item bundle being purchased by the first user, one or both of the first distribution probability and/or the second distribution probability are adjusted in a predetermined manner.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of facilitating entry and/or selection of one or both of said triggering criteria and/or said distribution probabilities.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a level of previous purchases of said first probability item bundle by said first user breaching a purchase threshold.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said predetermined manner for adjusting said distribution probabilities comprises increasing said one or both of said first distribution probability and/or said second distribution probability.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a number of purchases within a given period of time of said first probability item bundle by a collective group of users that participate in said online game.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to a higher probability in connection with a lower level of purchases.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a current level of inventory of said first probability item bundle held by said first user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to a higher probability in connection with a higher level of inventory.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes a spend velocity associated with at least one of said probability item bundles within a given period of time by a collective group of users that participate in said online game.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to higher probability in connection with a lower level of spend velocity.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein said triggering criteria that result in adjustment of the first distribution probability includes revenue associated with said online game within a given period of time by a collective group of users that participate in said online game.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said adjustment comprises an adjustment to higher probability in connection with a lower level of revenue.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of notifying users of a change in at least one of said distribution probabilities.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of limiting in time said adjustment of distribution probabilities.