Incentivizing playing between websites

• US 8,721,456 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ganz
• Original Assignee: Ganz
• Inventors: Ganz, Howard, Borst, Karl Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US13/768,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20130217500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/31, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list

Abstract

A game system that can be played on two websites. The game allows a user to play a first game on both a first website which is a website intended for the user to play the game, and also allows the user to play the game on a second website which is a social networking website. The game as played on both the first website and on the second social networking website accumulates points and rewards for a user, and the points and rewards are commonly accumulated for play on both the first website and on the second website. The game engine controlling the user playing the game on the second website comprising receiving a reward from the game on the second website that requires the user to go to the first website. This drives the user to the main version of the game.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a user from a computer playing a first game on both a first website and on a second website, where the first website is a main version of the first game plays a main version of the first game, and from the second website plays a remote version of the first game where a focus of the second website is to carry out other action other than gameplay, and where the first game has more capabilities when played on the first website and fewer capabilities when played on the second website and where rewards from both the first website and from the second website are commonly accumulated, wherein the other action on the second website comprises receiving a reward from playing on the second website that can only be used on the first website and cannot be used on the second website;

the user playing the first game on the second website comprising receiving a reward on the second website that requires the user to go to the first website.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the remote version of the first game on the second website is a social networking website.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the reward can only be received by operations on the second website, and cannot be received by any operations on the first website.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the reward is virtual clothing to be worn by a virtual user on the website.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the other action on the second website comprises receiving a task by playing on the second website that can only be carried out by going to the first website.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein the task provides a prize for a user who carries out the task.

7. A system of playing a game on multiple websites, comprising:

a game engine, which allows a user to play a first game on both a first website which is a website intended for the user to play the first game, and also allows the user to play the first game on a second website which is a social networking website, where the first game played on both the first website and on the second social networking website accumulates points and rewards for a user, and the points and rewards are commonly accumulated for play on both the first website and on the second website, wherein the reward on the second website can only be used on the first website and cannot be used on the second website;

the game engine controlling the user playing the first game on the second website comprising receiving a reward from the game on the second website that requires the user to go to the first website.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the second website is a social networking website.

9. The system as in claim 7, wherein the reward can only be received by operations on the second website, and cannot be received by any operations on the first website.

10. The system as in claim 7, wherein the reward is virtual clothing to be worn by a virtual user on the website.

11. The system as in claim 7, wherein the action on the second website comprises receiving a task by playing on the second website that can only be carried out by going to the first website.

12. The system as in claim 11, wherein the task provides a prize for a user who carries out the task.