In-game incentive granting device and program for incentive granting

• US 10,758,827 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2019
• Issued: 09/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GREE Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pokelabo, Inc. (GREE Inc.)
• Inventors: Maeda, Yuta
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhr, Justin L
• Application Number:
  US16/351,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20190201792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• 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 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

Provided is an incentive granting device, comprising: a second game notifying unit 16 which notifies an existing user of the existence of a second game during the execution by the existing user of a first game app; an introduction code issuing unit 18 which issues an introduction code during the execution of the second game app by the existing user who has received the notification; and an incentive granting unit 20 which grants a prescribed incentive for the existing user'"'"'s first game, with respect to a new user receiving an introduction from the existing user and downloading the second game app. By allowing an existing user to be aware of the existence of a second game during the execution of a first game, and to obtain an incentive for the first game by executing the second game and introducing a new user thereto, the existing user is given a motivation to proactively spread the word about the second game.

Claims

1. An in-game incentive granting device comprising:

circuitry configured to

notify an existing user of an application of a first game of presence of a second game to promote execution of the second game, a category of the first game being different from a category of the second game, by the existing user; and

issue an introduction code to be used in an introduction of the second game to a new user of an application of the second game by the existing user; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media configured to store identification information of the existing user, the introduction code issued by the circuitry and identification information of the new user who downloaded the application of the second game in association with each other,

wherein the circuitry is configured to refer to association information stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to grant a predetermined incentive in the first game which is being used by the existing user when the new user downloads the application of the second game upon receipt of the introduction from the existing user.

2. A device separate from the in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, comprising:

circuitry configured to

receive a download request of the application of the second game from the existing user, and

download the application of the second game to the existing user and the new user; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media configured to store at least the application of the first game and the application of the second game.

3. The in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to issue a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifier of a dedicated download site for the existing user and embed it in the introduction code, and

wherein the new user downloads the application of the second game from the URL.

4. The in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to refer to the association information stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to further grant a predetermined incentive in the second game used newly by the existing user upon receipt of a notification that the new user downloaded the application of the second game upon receipt of the introduction from the existing user.

5. The in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to refer to the association information stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to grant a predetermined incentive to at least one of the first game and the second game which are being used by the existing user every time a number of the new users who downloaded the application of the second game upon receipt of the introduction from the existing user exceeds a predetermined number.

6. The in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

issue a notification of the second game for a certain notification period;

refer to the association information stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to rank the existing user in descending order of the number of the new users who downloaded the application of the second game upon receipt of the introduction from the existing user at an end of the certain notification period; and

grant a predetermined incentive in at least one of the first game and the second game which are being used by the existing user based on the ranking.

7. The in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to refer to the association information stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to grant a predetermined incentive in the first game which is being used by the existing user in relation to a predetermined condition being cleared in the second game used newly by the existing user.

8. The in-game incentive granting device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to grant a predetermined incentive in at least one of the first game and the second game which are being used by the existing user when the new user downloads the application of the second game upon receipt of the introduction from the existing user, and the new user clears a predetermined condition in the second game.

9. An in-game incentive granting system comprising:

circuitry configured to;

receive a download request of an application of a second game from an existing user, and

download the application of the second game to the existing user and a new user;

the circuitry further configured to issue an introduction code to be used, by the existing user of an application of a first game, in an introduction of the second game to the new user, wherein a category of the second game being different from a category of the first game, and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media configured to;

store at least the application of the first game and the application of the second game, and

store identification information of the existing user, the introduction code issued by the circuitry, and identification information of the new user who downloaded the application of the second game in association with each other,

wherein the circuitry is configured to refer to association information stored in the one or more non-transitory computer readable media to grant a predetermined incentive in the first game which is being used by the existing user when the new user downloads the application of the second game upon receipt of the introduction from the existing user.