Embedding of games into third party websites

• US 8,894,482 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US13/244,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 of a game provider, an identifier for a user accessing a website having at least one persistent game embedded therein, the website being a website of a third party distinct from the game provider;

identifying, at the game provider system, friends of the user based on the identifier received from the third party;

determining, using a processor of a machine, a list of friends playing various persistent games at any location within a network, the location of game play including the game provider system and the website of the third party;

providing access to the list of friends and a corresponding persistent game being played by each friend on the list of friends to the user accessing the website of the third party; and

allowing the user to navigate to a locale hosting the corresponding persistent game being played by a selected friend on the list of friends.

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, the incentive being a good.

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 the third party associated with the website based on the monetization event; and

allocating the compensation to the third party 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 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 third party associated with the website.

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

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

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 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.

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

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 of the third party; 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. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowing the user to navigate to the locale comprises allowing the user to navigate away from the website of the third party to join the corresponding persistent game being played by the selected friend.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the locale is selected from the group consisting of a webpage of the website of the third party, a website of the game provider system, and a further website of a further party.

18. 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 of a game provider, an identifier for a user accessing a website having at least one persistent game embedded therein, the website being a website of a third party distinct from the game provider;

identifying, at the game provider system, friends of the user based on the identifier received from the third party;

determining a list of friends playing various persistent games at any location within a network, the location of game play including the game provider system and the website of the third party;

providing access to the list of friends and a corresponding persistent game being played by each friend on the list of friends to the user accessing the third party website; and

allowing the user to navigate to a locale hosting the corresponding persistent game being played by a selected friend on the list of friends.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, 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.

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

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, 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 the third party associated with the website based on the monetization event; and

allocating the compensation to the third party associated with the website.

22. A system comprising:

at least one processor of a machine; and

a game provider system of a game provider configured to;

receive an identifier for a user accessing a website having at least one persistent game embedded therein, the website being a website of a third party distinct from the game provider;

identify friends of the user based on the identifier received from the third party;

determine a list of friends playing various persistent games at any location within a network, the location of game play including the game provider system and the website of the third party;

provide access to the list of friends and a corresponding persistent game being played by each friend on the list of friends to the user accessing the website of the third party; and

allow the user to navigate to a locale hosting the corresponding persistent game being played by a selected friend on the list of friends.