Social networked gaming mercenaries

Abstract

A system and method for enhancing a first user's video gaming experience by enabling a second user to participate as a mercenary. The system and method include sending an invitation for the second user to join the first user's gaming session and receiving acceptance from the second user. The system and method then include determining whether the current point of the first user's gaming session corresponds to an insertion point for the second user to be added. In response, the system and method modify the gaming session into a multiplayer gaming session and add the second user. The system and method then identify an end trigger point of the modified gaming session, and in response, remove the second user from the modified gaming session and return the gaming session to single-player mode.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to providing a dynamic, interactive, and personalized gaming experience by integrating gaming and social media. For example, the present disclosure describes a technique for enhancing the video gaming experience of a first user by enabling a second user to participate as a mercenary, and in particular, by enabling the mercenary to switch from a single-player gaming session to a multi-player gaming session after accepting an invitation to participate in the first user's gaming session.

[0002] PC-based and console-based video gaming experiences have, in some ways, been disconnected from the social media experiences of many users. That is, while one approach involves creating content for or targeting specific social media platforms, it lacks advanced integration between social media and the more sophisticated PC and console games. Furthermore, in another approach, game subscription services enable linking between users' social media profiles and their gaming profiles, but this linking does not provide advanced social media integration with the users' gameplay.

[0003] In another approach, video game systems allow users to play the video game in either multiplayer or single-player mode. In multiplayer mode, users can engage in combat where their character plays against another player's character, or against a character controlled by the video gaming system. In some cases, there are specific modes where all players are human and play against each other. In some examples of multiplayer modes, players may be part of a team, and the game may involve multiple teams, each with an equal number of players. Some game modes may be defined as each player forming their own individual team, which is also known as free-for-all. In many cases, these games are based, for example, on time, kill limit, or capturing the maximum area of ​​the game space. Other game types are also possible in multiplayer mode. Many games that offer multiplayer game modes may also provide a single-player experience where players play against computer-controlled enemies, also known as "bots." In this approach, the video game may be in either a multiplayer or single-player state, and when a user is currently playing in one of these modes, it may not allow for a smooth transition between the multiplayer and single-player modes. For example, a user may be the only player participating in a multiplayer game, such as when another user leaves the game session, but this does not involve a transition between the single-player and multiplayer modes. In some cases, a user playing in single-player mode may get stuck at a boss fight or at a point in the game that the user cannot complete.In many games, users cannot request assistance and may have no choice but to continuously attempt to overcome boss battles on their own. In some other approaches, adding a second player to a first player's gaming session can be relatively time-consuming, complex, and involve many different processes. Furthermore, the addition of a second player may be perceptible to the first player, which can be counterproductive to the purpose of adding the second player in some cases (e.g., when the second player is a mercenary sent to eliminate the first player).

[0004] To facilitate overcoming these problems, the present disclosure provides a system, method, and apparatus configured to transmit an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of a first user; to receive acceptance of the invitation from a second user via a second computing device; and to determine that a gaming session has started—the gaming session comprises a video game being played by a first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user participates without the character of another user. The system, method, and apparatus are also configured to determine whether the current point of the gaming session for the video game corresponds to an insertion point. Additionally, the system, method, and device modify a gaming session in response to determining that the current point in a gaming session for a video game corresponds to an insertion point, by (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode to change the gaming session for the video game from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) causing a first computing device to connect to a multiplayer video game server, wherein the multiplayer video game server enables a second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session (directly or through emulation of the second user), and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game. Additionally, the system, method, and device determine whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to an exit trigger point; In response to determining that the current point of the modified gaming session corresponds to a termination trigger point, the system is configured to (1) remove a second user from the modified gaming session and (2) change the modified gaming session for the video game from multiplayer mode back to single player mode.

[0005] For example, this aspect of the disclosure enables a first user to invite a second user (and / or an emulated second user) into the first user's game to assist with a level, boss fight, challenge, or other part of the game. Alternatively, the user may request that the mercenary user join the target user's game to eliminate the target user's character (e.g., an elimination target). In each of these scenarios, the user may send the invitation through a gaming system associated with the specific game and / or through a connected social media account. As described in more detail below, the invitation may be a request for help completing a level or an invitation to eliminate the target user's character. If the second user accepts the invitation, the system may monitor the insertion point within the first user's (or target user's) gaming session. The insertion point may be the point where the game starts, the point where the user reaches a cutscene or starts a level, or any other suitable point within the gaming session. The modified gaming session continues until it reaches an exit trigger point. The exit trigger point may be the completion of a mission (e.g., completing a level, defeating a boss, etc.). When the exit trigger point is reached, the second user (or mercenary) may be removed from the gaming session, and the gaming session may revert to a single-player gaming session.

[0006] By providing a system for advanced social media integration with a user's gaming experience, embodiments of the present disclosure provide various benefits. In some examples, the system enables a user to link their game profile for a specific game or game account with a social media account. In some embodiments, the system enables the maintenance of a mercenary rank that is associated with any single game but separate from any single game, so that the mercenary ranking can be improved by playing in a number of different games. In some examples, the system enables a user to request help from a mercenary within a specific game through their social media account. In some examples, the requested help may be a hit or elimination of another user's character in a specific game. In other examples, the request may be some other hostile act directed at another user (which may vary depending on the game being played). The system may enable a user to seek help from friends, all users of the game, etc. Additionally, the system may enable users to search for specific mercenaries through social media accounts or select from a set of mercenaries, and these mercenaries may be ranked based on the mercenary's skill level, the mercenary's player character type, and whether there is an available emulated version.

[0007] In some examples, the system also enables users to unlock additional gameplay by linking their gaming profile to a social media account. Additional gameplay may include the ability for users to play as mercenaries (e.g., as a second protagonist character, an antagonist character, a boss, or some other character generally controlled by the gaming system) on the same or opposite side as other users in another user's game. Additional gameplay may also include mercenary mode challenges or mini-games, which may be used to provide a ranking system for mercenaries. Additionally, in some examples, the system disclosed herein may enable users to record, share, and / or stream audio and video of their gaming experience through their social media accounts.

[0008] In some examples, an invitation may be sent to a set of other users including friends of the first user, a set of users currently playing the video game, a set of users whose skill level in the game is above a threshold level, and / or a set of users of the video game having a character with a predetermined class (e.g., medical, support, sniper, tank).

[0009] In some examples, an invitation may be sent by a third party and may be a request to remove the first user's character. In such cases, the first user may be prevented from receiving notification that the invitation has been sent, accepted, and / or that a second user or mercenary has joined.

[0010] In some examples, the insertion point of a gaming session includes the start of a gaming session for a video game, or the point where the first user playing the video game reaches a checkpoint where a cutscene begins. In some examples, for instance, when the second user is a mercenary given the mission to eliminate the first user, adding the second user (or an emulation of the second user) to the first user's gaming session at the insertion point may allow the gaming system to prevent the first user from noticing that the second user is being added. The gaming system may add the second user to the game session at the insertion point even if the second user cannot actually play or interact with the first user until a subsequent point in the gaming session. The gaming system may essentially preload the second user into the gaming session at the insertion point, so that when a subsequent point in the gaming session is reached (e.g., a point where the second user can interact with the first user), the gaming session does not need to pause to load the second user. The gaming session may continue normally without any indication to the first user that the gaming session has been modified and that a second user has joined.

[0011] In some examples, the termination trigger point may be the death of the first user's character in the video game, the death of the second user's character in the video game, the death of the boss in the video game, the completion of a level in the video game, the completion of a mission in the video game, and / or the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play in the video game.

[0012] In some examples, an invitation may be sent by a third user, and the invitation may include a request to remove the first user's character. In such cases, the invitation may be sent at a first point in time regardless of whether the first user is currently playing the game. When the first user begins playing the game corresponding to the invitation, a notification may be provided to the mercenary who accepted the invitation. The notification may be a social media post or other notification indicating that the first user has initiated a gaming session of the relevant video game. Additionally, when the invitation is a removal request, the termination trigger point may be the removal of the first user's first character within the video game or the removal of the second user's second character (e.g., the mercenary) within the video game. In either case, the system may provide a notification to the first user, the second user, and / or the third user (who initiated the removal request) indicating whether the first user's character has been removed. Additionally, when the termination trigger point occurs, a reward may be provided to the mercenary depending on whether the mercenary has successfully completed the requirements of the invitation.

[0013] In some examples, the first user may select a wait request option, for example, in the first user's settings or user profile. A wait request may be the automatic sending of an invitation for assistance when certain conditions are met. That is, if one or more requirements of the first user's gaming session are met (e.g., dying X times in a row to a boss), an invitation requesting assistance from a mercenary may be automatically sent. A wait request may also cause the gaming system to anticipate a request for assistance and perform a fast start-up of the multiplayer gaming session in response. At the request for the wait request to be sent, the gaming system may preload files and / or execute some or all of the processes necessary to switch from a single-player gaming session to a multiplayer gaming session. The gaming system may thus enable a rapid and seamless transition from single-player mode to multiplayer mode, including a second user to assist, for the first user who is stuck in the game. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0014] The aforementioned and other purposes and benefits of the disclosure will be apparent when the following detailed description is taken into account with the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram for a process of modifying a first user's gaming session to include a second user in order to invite a second user to the first user's gaming session according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and removing the second user after reaching a termination trigger point. FIG. 2 is an exemplary user interface presented during a first user’s gaming session that enables a first user to invite a second user according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an exemplary user interface presented during a first user’s gaming session that enables the first user to select a mercenary to invite according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an exemplary user interface presented during a first user’s gaming session, which provides information about a list of candidate mercenaries to be invited, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is an exemplary user interface that appears during a first user’s gaming session after an invitation has been sent to a candidate mercenary, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is an exemplary user interface presented to a candidate mercenary, illustrating an option for progressing through in a ranking system associated with a mercenary mode for a game, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an exemplary user interface presented to a first user, illustrating an option to hire a mercenary in response to being removed during a game, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an exemplary social media post including an invitation to a first user to participate, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is an exemplary system architecture for enabling the functions described herein in relation to mercenary mode, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is an exemplary system diagram for a client device that enables the functions described herein in relation to mercenary mode, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is an exemplary flowchart of a process for a user to enter mercenary mode during a gaming session, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is an exemplary flowchart of a process for a user to download a mercenary mode minigame during a gaming session, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIGS. 13a through 13c are exemplary flowcharts of a process for a user to play and complete a mercenary mode minigame according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIGS. 14aa to 14b are exemplary flowcharts for a user to request assistance from a mercenary during a gaming session, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 15aa through 15cb are exemplary flowcharts for helping a user complete a level in the user's game by having an invited mercenary participate in the user according to some examples of the present disclosure, and using the mercenary's player-controlled character or emulated character. FIGS. 16a through 16cb are exemplary flowcharts for helping an invited mercenary participate in a user and help the user complete a level in the user's game, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 17a and FIGS. 17b are exemplary flowcharts of a process for requesting a contract or removal of a target user's player character from a gaming system platform, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 18a and FIGS. 18b are exemplary flowcharts of a process for requesting a commission or removal of a target user's player character from a social media account according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 19a and 19b are exemplary flowcharts of a process for notifying a mercenary when the target player of a requested contract or removal request is playing a related game, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 20aa through 20dc are exemplary flowcharts of a process for sending a player character emulated by a mercenary to perform a contract or removal request, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 21aa through 21cc are exemplary flowcharts of a process for a mercenary to participate in a target user's gaming session to carry out a contract or removal request, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a device for performing the functions and features disclosed herein, each component of the device, and the data flow between them, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0015] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the use of social media to enhance a user's video game experience. The user's experience may be enhanced in several ways, such as enabling a first user to request assistance from a second user, or a third user to request that the first user (target user) be eliminated by the second user. Other benefits are also provided as described herein. In a first scenario (e.g., the first user requests assistance), the first user may be playing a video game and may have reached a point where they are having difficulty progressing. The first user may request assistance from a mercenary through the gaming platform where the video game is being played, through social media, or through any other system. For example, if the first user is stuck at a boss fight or is having difficulty completing a specific level in a single-player game, the player may make a request (invitation) for a mercenary to participate in the boss fight or to provide assistance in passing the level. In the second scenario, a third user (the requesting user) may request the elimination of the first user (the target player) by a second player (the mercenary). This may occur, for example, in response to the third user being eliminated by the first user and seeking revenge by issuing a request to eliminate the first user. In both of these scenarios, the video game may operate with "Mercenary Mode" as described in more detail below.

[0016] In the present disclosure, a gaming platform or gaming system may be understood as any suitable combination of electronic and / or computer hardware and software created to host video games, to enable the play of video games, and / or to display them. This is, for example, Sony PlayStation®, Xbox®, Nintendo Switch®, or cloud-based gaming platforms such as Nvidia’s GeForce Now® and Sony’s PS Now® providing remote GaaS (game streaming as a service), or other suitable video game platforms, or a combination thereof. A social media platform may be any website, application, or infrastructure that enables internet-based communication between users of the platform. Depending on the embodiment, a social media platform may enable users to share content such as text, images, voice, and / or video. In some embodiments, a gaming system configured to perform the functions described herein may include one or more applications that are distributed and performed at least partially on a client device (e.g., client device (2218) of FIG. 22) and / or on one or more remote servers (server (2200) of FIG. 22) and / or any of one or more other suitable computing devices. In some embodiments, the gaming platform or gaming system may be in communication with a social media platform (e.g., via an application programming interface (API) or via any other suitable mechanism), and / or the gaming platform may include its own social media platform.

[0017] In the present disclosure, certain embodiments may use an emulated player character. The emulated player character may use artificial intelligence (AI) to create a model of a specific user or player character within a video game. The model may be created, for example, using a reinforcement learning architecture for machine learning (ML). In some embodiments, this specific player character is modeled or emulated on a gaming platform to enable multiple users to have the experience of playing with that specific player (by modeling or emulating) even when that specific player is not online or is participating in another gaming session.

[0018] In the present disclosure, Mercenary Mode may be an operation mode relating to one or more gaming systems selectable by a user. Mercenary Mode may include features and content related to one or more video games, but may not be exclusive to any specific video game.

[0019] In some examples, Mercenary Mode may be user-activated. That is, each user can individually decide whether to enable or disable Mercenary. Enabling Mercenary Mode may allow a user to request help in a video game, request the elimination of another player, and / or be selected as the target of another user's elimination request. In some examples, the user may have the option to select a subset of features. For example, a user may turn on the feature to request help without turning on the feature to request the elimination of another user or to be the target of an elimination request. This allows the user to request help without worrying about being the target of an elimination request. In some embodiments, Mercenary Mode may be automatically implemented, for example, as a default setting in a specific video game.

[0020] In some examples, Mercenary Mode can be enabled (or disabled) on a per-game basis. Each game may have individual options. Additionally, Mercenary Mode can be enabled for specific types of games (e.g., all first-person shooters, all racing games, etc.). Also, in some examples, Mercenary Mode can be enabled by the user for all games, or for all games on a specific gaming system (e.g., PC games, XBOX games, etc.). Other subsets may also be used.

[0021] In some examples, activating Mercenary Mode for a specific mode may place the user into a pool of available mercenaries to be selected for that game. Additionally, upon activation of Mercenary Mode, the social profile associated with the user may be recommended to other users who share similar gaming history, expressed interests, geographical location, or other characteristics.

[0022] As previously stated, enabling Mercenary Mode can enable various functions and features described herein. For example, in a part of the game that is typically completed by a single player (e.g., a story portion of a single-player game or a multiplayer game), the user may request assistance from a mercenary. This allows the single-player game to be converted into a multiplayer game by inviting a second user to participate. The second user may play the game with the first user as a second protagonist, as an NPC (e.g., a boss, or any other suitable character controlled by the gaming system in other cases), or as an antagonistic character competing against the first user.

[0023] In another example, Mercenary Mode enables a function associated with a removal request, where a third user invites a second user to remove the first user. In this example, Mercenary Mode allows a mercenary to join the first user's single-player or multiplayer game for the purpose of removing the first user. The first user (Target) may remain unaware that a mercenary has joined and is controlling a character within the game. Alternatively, the first user (Target) may receive a notification or alert that a mercenary is present within the game and / or that a character is being controlled by the mercenary.

[0024] In some examples, Mercenary Mode may work with multiplayer games (e.g., Call of Duty, Fortnite, etc.). These multiplayer games may include matchmaking features that bring multiple users together for a gaming session. In such cases, Mercenary Mode can ensure that the two players participate in or are placed in the same gaming session by allowing a mercenary performing a elimination request during matchmaking to be matched with a target user.

[0025] In some examples, each user may have a mercenary level or rank. A user's mercenary level or rank may be a rank across all games, a rank across all games where mercenary mode is enabled for that user, a rank for a specific game only, or a rank for a specific game type (e.g., first-person shooter, strategy, racing, etc.). That is, each user may have a single mercenary level or multiple levels associated with a subset of games. As described in more detail below (particularly in relation to FIGS. 6, 12, and FIGS. 13a through 13c), a user may perform missions, play mini-games, or perform other challenges to increase their level. Missions, mini-games, or challenges may be dedicated to one or more games or game types. That is, a specific type of mini-game may level up a user's mercenary rank for racing games but may not affect a user's mercenary rank for first-person shooter games.

[0026] When an invitation is sent to drop into the first user's gaming session, there may be multiple candidate mercenaries competing to accept the invitation. If there are multiple candidate mercenaries who have accepted the invitation, the game system may initiate a competition to determine which candidate mercenary will be accepted. The competition may be determined by which candidate achieves the highest score in a minigame, which candidate has the highest level or ranking in a relevant area, and / or some other ranking criteria. In an example, based on the invitation, candidate mercenaries may be asked to complete a 30-second challenge based on the role they will be hired for. Such a challenge may be determined by the gaming system and / or by the first user or the player hiring the mercenary. For example, if the first user requests a sniper's support in an FPS game, the challenge may be a 30-second game in which the candidate mercenary uses the sniper to locate and eliminate targets.

[0027] As disclosed in this specification, Mercenary Mode may provide added game content. For example, when Mercenary Mode is enabled for a specific game, such game may enable additional content playable only by a Mercenary character (e.g., additional boss levels where the Mercenary plays as a boss), or additional content playable by a First User only when the Mercenary character is part of a gaming session (e.g., levels of the game accessible to the First User only when the Mercenary is present). In some examples, the gaming system may allow or prevent the addition of a Mercenary to a specific level or part of the game. Additionally, the progress of the First Player may determine when to insert the Mercenary into the game. For example, if a removal request is sent for the First Player who is currently at level 7 of the game, and levels 7, 8, and 9 do not enable Mercenary Mode or content, the gaming system may wait until the First User reaches level 10 in order to insert the Mercenary. Additionally, Mercenary Mode may include minigames that are inaccessible in other cases, which allow for increasing Mercenary Rank for X Games, X Game Types, etc. In some examples, the added features may be applied to one or more characters within the video game when controlled by a Mercenary. For example, a Boss character may be granted additional health when controlled by a Mercenary, in contrast to when such a character is controlled by a gaming system. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary user interface (600) presented to a candidate Mercenary and illustrates options for increasing the rank of the Mercenary Rank System associated with Mercenary Mode.

[0028] Now, referring to FIG. 1, diagram (100) illustrates a block diagram for a process of a gaming system to invite a second user to the first user's gaming session according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, modify the first user's gaming session to become a multiplayer session including the second user, and remove the second user after reaching a termination trigger point. In the illustrated example, the second user is invited by a third player to control a boss character in the first user's game. The third user may have sent invitations containing a request to remove to a number of candidate mercenaries, and the third user may request the mercenaries (in this case, the second user) to remove a target user (e.g., the first user) within the selected video game.

[0029] In step (110), the gaming system receives an invitation from a third user’s computing device, for example, via social media, to join the first user’s gaming session and remove the target. As described in more detail below, the invitation may be sent by the first user (e.g., to request assistance) or by a third party who wishes to remove the first player’s character from the game (as illustrated in FIG. 1). The invitation may be sent to multiple candidate mercenaries, such as User 2-N of FIG. 1. If the gaming system determines that one or more of the candidate mercenaries (e.g., the second user) have accepted the invitation, the gaming system may delete or hide the invitation for the other candidate mercenaries so that only one mercenary is accepted into the gaming session. Additionally, the gaming system may create a record linking the accepted mercenary to the first player (e.g., the target). These records may be used by a gaming system for other steps described herein, such as configuring a multiplayer gaming session that includes both a mercenary and a first player.

[0030] At step 120, at some point after the invitation is sent and accepted, the first user begins playing the game in single-player mode or in a single-player gaming session. That is, the invitation may be a request to join the first user's gaming session immediately or at any point in the future. In some embodiments, the gaming session may be in progress, for example, when the invitation at 110 is accepted, the gaming system may be providing the first user's single-player gaming session.

[0031] In step 130, the gaming system identifies an insertion point in the first user's gaming session to insert the second user into the first user's game. As described below, the insertion point may be when the first user starts the game, when a checkpoint is reached, when a boss is reached, or any other point in time. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the insertion point within the first user's gaming session is a point in the game where the boss character appears. In step 130, the gaming session is a single-player gaming session having a player character (P1) controlled by the first user and a boss character controlled by the gaming system as a non-player character (NPC). In some embodiments, the insertion point may be set automatically by the gaming system (e.g., based on the insertion point history of the video game), by the user sending an invitation in 110, or by the first user who has joined the single-player mode.

[0032] In step 140, in response to the determination that an insertion point has been reached (e.g., the current point of the first user's gaming session is the identified insertion point), the gaming system modifies the first user's gaming session from a single-player session to a multi-player session. This may include instantiating a multi-player mode or instantiating a multi-player gaming session in which one or more users can participate. In some examples, a mercenary may join the gaming session at the start of the session (e.g., when the session starts, when the first user starts the game, etc.), but the mercenary may not be activated or may not be able to control any in-game character until the first user reaches a specific point (e.g., when the first user reaches a location set for a boss fight to occur). By adding a mercenary to the gaming session at a point prior to the first user reaching the boss battle, the first user may remain unaware that the gaming session has switched from single-player to multi-player mode, and thus remain unaware that the boss is being controlled by the mercenary. The game system may insert a second user into the modified gaming session. In FIG. 1, the second user is inserted into the modified gaming session to control the boss character identified as P2 in step 140. In an alternative scenario, the second user may be inserted to control the second protagonist, to control a different NPC (e.g., excluding the boss), or to control another character or modality of the game. Once added to the modified game session, the second user controls the boss character in the modified gaming session. The first user may or may not be aware that the second user is now controlling the boss character.

[0033] In step 150, the gaming system determines whether a termination trigger point has occurred. As described in more detail below, the termination trigger point may be the end of a level, the removal of a boss, the removal of a first user, the removal of a second user, or any other suitable occurrence within a gaming session, or any combination thereof. In the example of FIG. 1 illustrated, the termination trigger point is the removal of a boss character controlled by the second user (P2). In an alternative scenario where the second user controls the second protagonist, the termination trigger point may be the point at which the first user and the second user remove the boss character together.

[0034] In step 160, in response to the determination that a termination trigger point has occurred, the gaming system may modify the multiplayer gaming session back into a single-player gaming session. The gaming system may also remove the second user from the gaming session. The gaming system essentially reverts the gaming session to its original state, where the first user plays the game in single-player mode through the single-player gaming session. Control of the boss character may also be returned to the gaming system.

[0035] Now, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 through FIG. 8, various embodiments are described in more detail. As previously described, an invitation may be sent to invite a mercenary to the first user's gaming session. The invitation may be sent as a post or other social media item through a social media account, or through a gaming system account associated with the requesting user. The invitation may include various information, such as a game, a user requesting help, a specific mission for which the user needs help, a link for the mercenary to choose to accept the invitation, and / or a link that enables the mercenary to accept and automatically load / start the relevant game.

[0036] In some examples, an invitation may be sent by the user based on an in-game menu selection, based on a combination of controller inputs, and / or in response to voice input.

[0037] An invitation may be a request for assistance. For example, an invitation may include a request for help with completing a mission within the video game, completing a level, eliminating a boss, advancing to a checkpoint, or other suitable mission within the game. An invitation may be a request to assist the first user immediately or at some future point. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a user interface (200) of a video game for the first user that provides an option (210) for the first user to request assistance from a mercenary.

[0038] In some examples, it may be a request for a contract or removal of a user's character. An invitation to a removal request may be sent by a first user (e.g., commissioning a contract against oneself) or by a third party (e.g., requesting the removal of a first user or a target user). An invitation requesting the removal of a target may be sent even if the target is not currently playing the game. Additionally, the invitation may include conditions of time interval or duration, such as requirements that the invitation must be accepted within a specific time, that the requested removal must be performed within a specific time, or that the removal request is withdrawn or canceled in other cases.

[0039] In some examples, depending on the specific game associated with the invitation, the invitation may include a request to assist or perform special game functions.

[0040] In some examples, when a user requests help via an invitation (or asks a mercenary to eliminate a target), the user to whom the invitation is sent can be searched or filtered. As an incomplete list, for example, (a) an individual or group of individual users selected by the first user; (b) all players of a specific game with or without Mercenary Mode enabled; (c) players of a game using a specific gaming system (e.g., PC users only, XBOX users only); (d) players of a game playing in either single-player or multi-player mode (e.g., in individual sessions); (e) players playing in a different gaming session separate from the first user; (f) players having the same or higher skill level in the game than the requesting user or target user; (g) players within a specific geographic area; (h) all friends of the requesting user; (i) all players currently playing the game; (j) players of the game above a critical skill level; (k) players of the game with a character of a specific class (e.g., Medic, Support, Tank, etc.); (l) all players with a specific progress in the game (e.g., players who have completed a specific mission or have a specific score, etc.); (m) players who have completed a specific mission with fewer than a certain threshold number of attempts. (n) all players with a mercenary level higher than the threshold level, (o) all mercenaries with a mercenary subscore related to a specific mission exceeding the threshold level, and (p) any combination of the aforementioned criteria, the user can filter the users to whom the invitation is sent.

[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary user interface (300) of a video game for a first user that provides options for selecting which candidate mercenary to choose or which mercenary to ask for help from. In the illustrated example, the first user may select one or more of their friends (310 and 312) or any player (314) of the game, or post an invitation via social media through the user's account linked to Twitter (currently X) (316) and Instagram (318).

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary user interface (400) of a video game for a first user that provides options for selecting which candidate mercenary to choose or which mercenary to request help from. In this example, the system provides the first user with additional information about each candidate mercenary that may be relevant to the first user's selection of a mercenary. The first user may select one of their friends (410 or 412) to send an invitation or / or post a request via a social media site (414 and / or 416). Additional information (420-426) associated with each option may indicate the probability of success of each candidate mercenary in completing the mission for which the user requests assistance. For example, additional information (420 and 422) about friends (410 and 412) may specify the success rate of each candidate in completing the mission. For social media sites (414 and 416), additional information (424 and 426) may reflect the average mission success rate for users available as mercenaries from the pool of players accessible through each social media site.

[0043] An invitation may be sent to a single candidate mercenary or to a group of candidate mercenaries. If sent to a group, the candidate may complete one or more challenges related to the mission associated with the (mentioned) invitation. The challenges may correspond to the task for which the first user is seeking assistance (e.g., eliminating a boss, clearing a level, completing a puzzle, achieving a challenge with a specific character type, etc.). Alternatively, the challenges may be short mini-games based on the role in which the mercenary is hired. In some examples, the user sending the invitation may be presented with a video of a subset of available mercenaries (e.g., the top 5 for a specific mission) and may issue a request to one or more mercenaries from a direct subset of the corresponding video (e.g., by pressing an 'Invite' button overlaid on the showcased video).

[0044] After an invitation is sent to a candidate mercenary or a mercenary, the requesting user waits for a response or acceptance of the invitation.

[0045] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary user interface (500) of a video game of a first user indicating that an invitation has been sent to a candidate mercenary (510). The user interface may also provide the first user with additional information, such as whether the candidate mercenary is currently online, whether an acceptance or response has been received from the candidate mercenary, and / or whether the candidate mercenary is currently using another application or playing another game (in FIG. 5, the candidate mercenary (510) is listening to a song in a music application).

[0046] In some examples, an invitation may be sent to a candidate mercenary who is not currently online or is not currently playing the game. In such cases, the first user may continue playing the single-player game while waiting for a response to the invitation.

[0047] In some examples, the first user may select an option for a wait request (e.g., in the user profile or settings). A wait request may be an invitation that is automatically sent when certain conditions are met. For example, conditions may include when the first user is defeated by the same boss a threshold number of times in a row, or when the first user plays a level for a duration longer than the threshold duration without completing it. In such cases, a request for help may be automatically sent at the first user's point in the game, or a point close to it, immediately before the boss or level requiring help occurs.

[0048] In some examples, in response to determining whether the conditions for a waiting request have been met, the system may also automatically spin up a multiplayer gaming session so that the mercenary can quickly join as soon as they accept the invitation (if the mercenary is found).

[0049] In some examples, a standby request may allow the first user to automatically request assistance, enabling a mercenary to participate and complete a mission without a request for assistance from the first user. The first user may allow the mercenary to complete the mission directly and subsequently review a recording of the mercenary's actions.

[0050] In some examples, users can compile a list of trusted mercenaries they have previously interacted with. This list can be maintained and accessed for subsequent gaming sessions. This provides a dual function: it makes it easier for users to send targeted invitations for help and functions as a guarantee or review system for mercenaries.

[0051] After an invitation is sent, the requesting user waits for acceptance. The invitation may be presented to the candidate mercenary through the respective gaming system, social media notifications, or some other source. The candidate mercenary can accept the invitation by clicking the link in the invitation or notification (e.g., a link within a social media post containing the invitation).

[0052] An invitation may be accepted by a single user or by multiple users. When the invitation is a request for assistance, one or more mercenaries may accept it depending on the details of the invitation. When the invitation is a removal request, the system may limit acceptance to a single candidate mercenary. If multiple candidates accept, the candidates may be placed in a queue or complete a challenge to determine which candidate's acceptance is confirmed. If placed in a queue, the first candidate mercenary to accept may be given the opportunity to perform the removal, and if they fail, the opportunity may be given to the next candidate. Alternatively, if multiple candidate mercenaries accept the invitation, the requesting user may be given the opportunity to choose which candidate's acceptance to confirm. This may be done automatically based on the candidate mercenaries' levels or ranks. In some examples, if an invitation is sent to a group of users and a candidate mercenary accepts the invitation, the invitation is canceled for the other candidate mercenaries (and the request may be deleted or hidden). In some examples, invitations sent to multiple candidate mercenaries may include a timer (e.g., 30 seconds), and the player who first accepts the invitation is confirmed. Also, in some examples, if multiple mercenaries are requested, when the acceptance limit is reached, the request may be hidden from other candidates or deleted.

[0053] In response to accepting the invitation, if the mercenary was playing the game when accepting the invitation, the accepting user's (mercenary's) gaming system may pause the game and save the current game state. Additionally, in response to accepting the invitation, both the first user and the mercenary may connect to a multiplayer server for the game (as described below). The mercenary's player character may be added to the first user's game, and / or the mercenary's emulated character may be added. If the candidate mercenary accepts the invitation while not playing the game, the mercenary may choose to transfer an emulated version of the candidate mercenary player to the first user's game. In some examples, the system may initiate a gaming session supporting the user's emulated version prior to the candidate mercenary accepting the invitation, anticipating that the mercenary would have chosen to transfer an emulated version, or in response to the mercenary choosing to transfer an emulated version.

[0054] In some examples, if the invitation is a removal request and the invitation is accepted, the system can generate a session ID. When a goal starts the relevant game, the mercenary who accepted the invitation can join the goal and appear as an NPC in the goal's gaming session using the generated session ID.

[0055] In some examples, after a mercenary accepts an invitation (e.g., a elimination request), the system may notify the mercenary when specific conditions are met. For example, the system may notify the mercenary when the target starts a relevant game, or when they reach or are about to reach a specific point within the game (i.e., a point in the game where the mercenary is allowed to participate). In some examples, the mercenary may specify a particular date or time range in which they wish to receive notifications. For example, a mercenary may only be able to play games on Saturdays and therefore may request a notification when the target starts or is playing a game on Saturday.

[0056] After acceptance is received, the gaming system then joins the mercenary or second user into the first user's gaming session. This may occur immediately after acceptance is made, or after a few minutes, hours, or days (depending on when the first user plays the game). Joining the mercenary into the first user's game may involve switching from a single-player gaming session to a multiplayer gaming session. The gaming system may create a multiplayer instance or a multiplayer game server if the first user is playing a single-player game. The first user and / or the mercenary may be playing on a cloud-local gaming system or on an underlying gaming system, respectively.

[0057] To include a mercenary in the first user's gaming session, a multiplayer game server may transmit the first user's game dynamics, including the first user's exact state within the game, including the game level and the first user's health and location within the level. The multiplayer game server may also transmit information about computer-controlled characters and their current state, including their health levels and location within the level. The mercenary game engine may therefore include an exact mirror image of the first user's game state within the mercenary's game engine. In some examples, the gaming system may provide a subset of information about the mercenary's game engine, such as a pseudo-random number generator seed or other variables, and values ​​related to the first user's game.

[0058] The gaming system may also determine an insertion point within the first user's gaming session where a mercenary user can be inserted (e.g., where a transition from single player to multiplayer may occur). The insertion point may be a point in time when the first user starts the gaming system, when the game starts, when a cutscene is reached, when a loading screen is reached, when an advertisement is being displayed, when the first user reaches a checkpoint, when the first user reaches a level or area of ​​the game setup for mercenary inclusion (e.g., levels 1-4 do not include support for mercenaries, but level 5 includes support), when level loading begins (to ensure that the random number in memory is the same between the first user's game system and the mercenary game system), or when any event occurs within the game (e.g., appearance of a character, removal of a character, reaching a threshold score, etc.).

[0059] When the mercenary is about to join the first user's game, or when the mercenary has joined but is not yet controlling a character in the first user's game, the mercenary may have the option to join the first user's game as one of several characters (e.g., the mercenary may choose character A, B, or C). The mercenary may also have the option to join as the protagonist alongside the first user to play in a cooperative manner against enemies controlled by NPCs or players.

[0060] When the first user's game is a multiplayer game by default (e.g., a specific mode of Call of Duty), the insertion point may be a point before or during the matchmaking process for the game that classifies or selects which players will be inserted into the game together. In some examples, identifying the insertion point may include identifying when the objective enters matchmaking to participate in the game. The game system may ensure that the Mercenary is placed in the same game as the objective by modifying the rules governing the matchmaking process. For example, during the matchmaking process for that game, the gaming system may modify the matchmaking process for a given game to prioritize the Mercenary and the objective participating in the same game.

[0061] After a Mercenary or a second user joins the first user's gaming session, the gaming system may subsequently identify and determine whether a termination trigger point has occurred. When a termination trigger point occurs, the gaming system may remove the Mercenary from the first user's gaming session. The first user may then resume playing in single-player mode, if they were originally doing so. Similarly, the Mercenary's game may resume from a previously saved state if the game was in progress when the Mercenary's invitation was accepted. Since matchmaking priority may have been changed to ensure that the Mercenary is added to the same game as the first user when the game is a multiplayer game by default, reaching a termination trigger point causes the gaming system to simply revert the matchmaking priority to the default or previous value, so that adding the Mercenary to the first user's game during matchmaking is no longer prioritized.

[0062] The termination trigger point may be the completion or failure of a mission (e.g., a mission specific to an invitation), the end of a level, an elapsed time threshold, the removal of a target, the removal of a mercenary, or some other action. In some examples, if a mercenary is removed by an NPC or another player character other than the target user, the gaming system terminates mercenary mode, but the mercenary may remain in the gaming session (e.g., if the game involves matchmaking). The target user may receive a notification that the mercenary (e.g., a player assigned the mission to remove the target user) has been removed.

[0063] In some examples, the gameplay of the first user and / or mercenary may be recorded. In response to detecting a termination trigger point, the gaming system may send a notification or a recording of the first user and / or mercenary to the requesting user who sent the invitation, particularly if the invitation is a removal request. The notification may include information regarding whether the mercenary completed the mission (e.g., whether the first user was removed). The recording may also show how the mercenary completed the mission, which may be particularly useful to a user who requested assistance with a specific mission and wishes to learn how to complete missions in the future.

[0064] In some examples, in response to detecting a termination trigger point, the gaming system may (a) inform the target that there was a mercenary in their game and that a elimination request was made, (b) inform the target that they were eliminated by a mercenary (e.g., that a bounty was placed on them), or (c) inform the target that the mercenary chasing them was eliminated (e.g., since the mercenary only had one chance to eliminate the target, the elimination request may have been completed at this point).

[0065] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary user interface (700) of a game of a first user indicating that the first user has been eliminated by a mercenary (710). The gaming system may provide an opportunity for revenge and may allow the first user to send an invitation to hire a new mercenary to eliminate the previous mercenary (710).

[0066] After reaching the trigger termination point, the gaming system may award rewards to the mercenary or second user. Such rewards may be granted upon the successful completion of the mission specified in the invitation, or agreed upon during the acceptance of the invitation. In the case of an invitation that includes a removal request, rewards may be granted only upon the successful removal of the objective. Rewards may be, for example, trophies, game loot boxes, special weapons, experience points, points, badges, health, skins, game items / currency of the relevant game, items / currency of other games, experience boosts, gaming system currency / points (i.e., not specified to a specific game), real money, some other reward agreed upon by accepting the invitation, and / or a combination thereof.

[0067] In some examples, rewards may be negotiated and / or included in the invitation. The requesting user may propose an initial payment of remuneration or rewards, and the mercenary may accept this or make a counteroffer. The requesting user may also propose options for remuneration to the mercenary (e.g., choosing one of three identical or different game items), and the mercenary may choose one as remuneration (or make a counteroffer) upon accepting the invitation or upon successful completion.

[0068] In some examples, rewards may be paid by the user requesting assistance or by the user sending the invitation (e.g., when the invitation is a removal request). In some examples, the gaming system may utilize a virtual market that allows players to filter a list of available mercenaries. Such a market may be integrated into a special tab or page within various social media platforms. The integration is designed to function only when the user chooses to link their gaming profile with a social media account. This enables easy searching for players in need of assistance and mercenaries willing to provide services within the game.

[0069] In some examples, the various features described herein may include social media integration. A gaming system may be configured to record, upload, and / or stream audio and video from a user’s gaming session and / or a mercenary or an emulated character sent from a mercenary. A portion of the game in which the mercenary and the first user participate together may be recorded and used to showcase the mercenary’s tasks in a highlight video for other players seeking the mercenary. The mercenary may be tagged or highlighted in the recorded video to distinguish them from the user being assisted. For example, in-game characters controlled by the mercenary may have an icon or visible tag positioned above their heads to indicate that the character is controlled by the mercenary.

[0070] In some examples, the gaming system may enable users to send invitations via their social media accounts. Recorded videos of mercenaries may be used by the user seeking help to help distinguish between mercenaries when selecting which candidate to invite. For example, a user may be stuck on Mission A in the game. The user can find an ideal mercenary for their purpose by reviewing recorded videos of mercenaries who helped another user complete Mission A.

[0071] In some examples, the gaming system may allow content such as badges or rewards awarded from successful mercenary tasks, the user's mercenary level, etc., to be posted through social media accounts.

[0072] In some examples, the gaming system may enable real-time streaming of game content. Users may have the option to livestream their gaming sessions directly to their social media profiles. This feature can enhance interaction between the user and their social media audience. If the user encounters difficulties or gets stuck at a specific point in the game, viewers on the social media platform may choose to participate in the game as mercenaries to help the user, provided the game supports a mercenary mode. The gaming system may enable a seamless transition from viewer to participant, achievable with a simple click. In some examples, a popular streamer may have a large social media audience. The streamer's audience may bid on the opportunity to join the streamer in playing the game (i.e., the reversal of the aforementioned first-user reward). In such cases, rather than the streamer paying the reward or compensation, the candidate mercenary may pay the reward to join the streamer. The reward may be real money, game items / currency, and / or other items as described above.

[0073] In some examples, the gaming system may include a dedicated bot that allows users to interact with one or more social media platforms using specific hashtags. Social media bots may differ from the game bots described herein. Social media bots may perform automated functions for social media (e.g., automatically posting). In contrast, game bots may be NPCs controlled by the gaming system within the game. For example, a user using the hashtags #MercenaryWanted or #HelpInGameXYZ in a tweet to the bot may request the bot to retweet the request. This allows the request for help to be seen by a broader audience, particularly those following specific hashtags. Additionally, the gaming system may generate unique hashtags or identifiers for specific games, in-game challenges, or levels to create further uniqueness and community interactions. This may be a common hashtag recognized by all consoles such as Xbox, Sony, and Nintendo, or by cloud-based / remote rendering platforms, and may integrate studio-specific platforms such as Activision or EA Games. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary social media post (800) by a bot containing the hashtag #NeedMercenary.

[0074] In some examples, users may receive or be provided with special filters based on their mercenary levels and / or mercenary successes, similar to those found on Instagram. These filters allow users to create photos or videos standing alongside their in-game characters, or to include background scenes from the game. This can function as a fun way to celebrate victories, kills, or milestones in the game in relation to Mercenary Mode, and can subsequently be shared on social media.

[0075] In some examples, when a user is stuck on a particularly difficult level, an emergency or "SOS" feature may be activated. These features can cause the gaming system to send urgent, highlighted requests on social media platforms and can attract immediate attention by including short video clips from the user's gameplay to show exactly where the player is stuck.

[0076] In some examples, the gaming system can celebrate milestones such as the anniversary of the user's first team formation with a mercenary or the completion of the 100th mission together. This can be done through automated social media posts or tweets, adding celebration and a sense of accomplishment to the player-mercenary relationship.

[0077] In some examples, the gaming system may include verification badges similar to those used on Twitter (currently X). These verification badges may be awarded to high-performing mercenaries after completing a certain number of missions. The badges may be displayed next to their gaming profiles as well as their usernames on social media platforms, thereby enhancing their credibility and social status.

[0078] In some examples, the gaming system may allow them to post their team requirements directly on social media platforms. Interested mercenaries can then join these teams and select roles such as "sniper" or "healer" based on their abilities. A virtual "briefing room" may also be provided, where players and mercenaries can gather before the mission begins. The game system is configured to provide live streaming of this briefing room, allowing followers to participate, offer advice, vote on strategies, or simply watch the mission plan being revealed in real time.

[0079] FIG. 9 is an exemplary system architecture (900) for enabling the functions described herein in relation to Mercenary Mode, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The gaming system architecture (900) includes a user account system (910), a gaming system (920), a Mercenary game manager (930), a game multiplayer server supporting Mercenary Mode (940), a cloud-based gaming platform system (950), a player emulation system (960), a social media platform integration (970), and a social media platform (980). Each of these may communicate with one another to enable the various functions described herein. Examples will be described below to recognize the range of types of information communicated between each of these parts of the gaming system (900). Each process described in FIG. 11 through FIG. 21 may provide additional information related to the information and context communicated between each of the parts of the gaming system (900).

[0080] As a non-exclusive list, the user account system (910) may communicate with the game system (920) to share information regarding user login requests, responses to such requests, and information regarding the activation and deactivation of mercenary mode. The user account system may communicate with the mercenary game manager (930) to share information regarding mercenary mini-game player statistics, mercenary levels, hiring users as mercenaries, remuneration or reward items for mercenaries, notifications regarding the success or failure of mercenaries, etc. The user account system may also communicate with the social media platform integration system (970) to share information regarding user IDs such as mercenaries, targets, and requesting users, as well as information regarding the corresponding user IDs of these users' social media accounts.

[0081] The gaming system (920) may be a gaming console, a PC computer, a mobile phone, an XR headset, and / or a cloud-based gaming service. The gaming system (920) may communicate with the user account system (910) as described above. The gaming system (920) may also communicate with the mercenary game manager (930) to share information related to (a) a request for a mercenary mini-game catalog, (b) a request for a mini-game download, (c) information on mini-game completion, (d) a request for a mercenary list, (e) a request for help from an emulation user, (f) statistics and information on available mercenaries, (g) a mercenary request (invitation), (h) a mercenary acceptance, (i) a notification that a target user is currently online or playing a game, (j) a request to join a multiplayer server, (k) a request to hire an emulation player, (l) a video of a mercenary being removed, (m) a request to switch to multiplayer mode, (n) a streaming request, etc.

[0082] The gaming system (920) can also communicate with a game multiplayer server (940) that supports mercenary mode to share information related to (a) multi-session game data, (b) encoded real-time video streaming, etc.

[0083] The Mercenary Game Manager (930) can facilitate the various functions and features described in this specification. The Mercenary Game Manager (930) can communicate with the User Account System (910) and the User Account System (920) as described above. The Mercenary Game Manager (930) can also communicate with a game multiplayer server (940) that supports Mercenary Mode to share information regarding (a) requests and responses to participate in game multiplayer, (b) requests to start the multiplayer server, etc.

[0084] The mercenary game manager (930) can also communicate with a cloud based on a gaming platform system (950) to share information related to (a) requests and responses for mercenary participation sessions, (b) notifications for multiplayer participation, (c) requests and responses for streaming, (d) requests for saved video, etc.

[0085] The mercenary game manager (930) can also communicate with the player emulation system (960) to share information related to (a) emulation player requests and mercenary gameplay data (e.g., mini-games, mercenary test games, mercenary play styles, etc.).

[0086] The mercenary game manager (930) can also communicate with the social media integration platform (970) to share information related to (a) mercenary notification requests, (b) emulation player help requests, (c) contract requests, (d) game information in single player or multiplayer, (e) video of the emulated player, (f) video of the mercenary player, (g) streaming requests, (h) mercenary mini-game player statistics, etc.

[0087] A game multiplayer server (940) that supports mercenary mode (e.g., multiplayer server (940)) can communicate with a gaming system (920) and a mercenary game manager (930) as described above. Additionally, the multiplayer server (940) can communicate with a cloud-based gaming platform system (950) to share information related to multiplayer game session data. In some examples, a game multiplayer server (940) that supports mercenary mode can be configured to allow a player to participate in a single-player game, and such a single-player game allows a second user (e.g., a remote user) to be added to the game and switches control of in-game characters from control by the gaming system to control by the second user. Mercenary mode enables a single-player game to enable control of in-game computer-controlled characters by a second user. A game multiplayer server (940) that supports mercenary mode can force multiplayer game matchmaking, and a mercenary who accepts a contract for another player participates in the same game as the target player.

[0088] The cloud-based gaming platform system (950) can communicate with a game multiplayer server (940) and a mercenary game manager (930) that support mercenary mode as described above. The cloud-based gaming platform system (950) can also communicate with a player emulation system (960) to share information related to (a) controller input, (b) mercenary game session data, game engine start requests, etc.

[0089] As described above, the player emulation system (960) can communicate with the cloud-based gaming platform system (950) and the mercenary game manager (930).

[0090] The social media integration platform (970) can communicate with the user account system (910) and the mercenary game manager (930) as described above. The social media integration platform (970) can also communicate with the social media platform (980) to share information related to (a) mercenary notification help requests, (b) single-player or multi-player ongoing game information, (c) contract requests, (d) notifications that a target player is currently online or playing a game, (e) emulation help requests, (f) emulation player contract requests, (g) video of an emulated player or mercenary player, (h) streaming requests, (i) mini-game player statistics and video, etc. The social media platform (980) can communicate with the social media integration platform (970) as described above.

[0091] FIG. 10 is an exemplary system diagram (1000) for a client device that enables the functions described herein in relation to Mercenary Mode, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The system diagram (1000) illustrates an exemplary gaming system architecture for a client device, which may be a cloud-based game engine that runs by remotely rendering a game session or a game engine that runs locally on a PC, game console, or mobile phone.

[0092] The gaming system (1000) may include a gaming device (1010) that may include a game engine (1020), a game application web service (1030), and a game data storage (1040). The gaming system (1000) may also include one or more systems accessible via a display (1050) and the Internet (1060).

[0093] The game engine (1020) can communicate with the game application web service for various information such as (a) multiplayer mode connection information, (b) mercenary mode settings, (c) a request to switch to multiplayer mode, (d) and so on. The game engine (1020) can also communicate with the game data storage to share information related to various other information as well as the generated mercenary removal video. The game engine (1020) can also communicate with the display (1050) to transmit the rendered video to the connected display device.

[0094] The game application web service interface can communicate with one or more other systems via the Internet (as described in FIG. 9) to share information related to (a) a request for a mercenary mini-game catalog, (b) a request and response for a mini-game download, (c) mini-game completion statistics and information, (d) a request for a mercenary list, (e) a request for help from an emulation user, (f) a response for a mercenary list, (g) a request for a mercenary, (h) a request and response for accepting a mercenary, (i) a notification that a target user is currently online or playing a game, (j) information on a single-player or multi-player game session in progress, (k) a request and response for joining a mercenary session, (l) a request for an emulation player contract, (m) recorded video, (n) a request to switch to multi-player mode, (o) a streaming request, (p) a request to join a multi-player session, etc.

[0095] FIG. 11 is an exemplary flowchart of a process (1100) for a user to enter Mercenary Mode during a gaming session, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The process (1100) may be implemented, wholly or partially, by the gaming system illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. One or more operations of the process (1100) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1100) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1100), such as one or more of those illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.

[0096] In step (1102), the gaming system determines that the user device has made a user login request to the game provider's user account system (e.g., user account system (910)) including user login and credentials with a username and password. In step (1104), the game provider's user account system returns a user login response having a user ID to the user device. In some examples, this may include using the game application web service (1030).

[0097] In step (1106), the gaming system determines whether the user has enabled or disabled Mercenary Mode. If the user has disabled Mercenary Mode, steps (1108-1114) transmit a request to disable Mercenary Mode with a user ID to the user account system, the game system user account stores that Mercenary Mode is disabled for the user ID, the game system disables the option to select the Mercenary Mini-game menu, and optionally, the user device can disable or hide all Mercenary Mini-games.

[0098] If the user has activated Mercenary Mode, steps (1116-1122) transmit a request to activate Mercenary Mode with a user ID to the user account system, the game system user account stores that Mercenary Mode is activated for the user ID, the game system provides an option to select a Mercenary mini-game menu, and optionally, the user device can activate or display all Mercenary mini-games if they were hidden or disabled.

[0099] FIG. 12 is an exemplary flowchart of a process (1200) for a user to download a mercenary mode minigame during a gaming session, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The process (1200) may be implemented, wholly or partially, by the gaming system illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. One or more operations of the process (1200) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1200) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1200), such as one or more of those illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.

[0100] In step (1202), the gaming system determines whether the user has selected the mercenary mini-game menu. If the user has not selected the menu, the process (1200) proceeds to terminate at step (1218). If the gaming system determines that the user has selected the mercenary mini-game menu, the process proceeds to step (1204).

[0101] In step (1204), the user device generates a request for a mercenary mini-game catalog to the mercenary game manager. In response, in step (1206), the mercenary game manager transmits a mercenary mini-game catalog containing a list of mini-games to the user device. This list includes available mini-games for the user to play.

[0102] In step (1208), the user device displays a mercenary mini-game catalog on the display of the user device. In step (1210), the gaming system determines whether the user has selected a mercenary mini-game menu to download. If no mini-game is selected, the process (1200) proceeds to terminate in step (1218).

[0103] If a mini-game is selected for download, step (1212) includes the user device generating a request to the mercenary game manager for downloading a mercenary mini-game by the mini-game title. The mercenary game manager then provides mini-game download information by game title download information in steps (1214) and (1216), and the user device downloads and saves the mini-game to local storage. The process (1200) then terminates in step (1218).

[0104] FIGS. 13a through 13c are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1300) for a user to play and complete a mercenary mode minigame according to some examples of the present disclosure. The process (1300) may be implemented, wholly or partially, by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (1300) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1300) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1300) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0105] In step (1302), the gaming system determines whether the user has selected a mercenary mini-game menu to play. If no mini-game is selected, the process (1300) terminates. If a mini-game is selected, the gaming system determines in step (1304) whether the mini-game was requested based on the user who wants to hire a mercenary. If not, the process (1300) terminates. If the mini-game was requested by the user who wants to hire a mercenary, the gaming system determines in step (1306) whether the requesting user has sent a mini-game title and requested a specific mini-game player role. If not, the process (1300) terminates. If the requesting user has sent a mini-game title and requested a specific mini-game player role, the gaming system determines in step (1308) whether the user has requested to watch the play of the mini-game. If a user requests to watch the play of a mini-game, the gaming system loads the mini-game with recording on in step (1310) based on the requested parameters.

[0106] In step (1312), if the requesting user does not request to spectate the play of the mercenary minigame, the process (1300) includes loading the mercenary minigame with recording off based on the requested parameters from the requesting user.

[0107] In steps (1314 to 1320), the process (1300) includes starting a timer while the user is playing a minigame, and stopping the timer when the minigame level is completed.

[0108] In step (1322), the gaming system determines whether gameplay of the minigame has been requested by the user. If gameplay has not been requested, the gaming system determines in step (1324) whether the minigame player has turned on the recording of their gameplay. If the gaming system determines that the minigame player has turned on the recording of their gameplay, the user device transmits an indication that the minigame has been completed to the Mercenary Game Manager in step 1328, along with the player's user ID, player level, time taken to complete, and gameplay video. Alternatively, if the minigame player has not turned on the recording of their gameplay, the user device transmits the same information to the Mercenary Game Manager in step 1330, excluding the gameplay video.

[0109] In step 1322, if gameplay of a minigame is requested by a user, step 1326 includes a gaming system that determines whether the user has also requested video recording of the gameplay. If the user has not requested recording of the gameplay, in step 1332, the user device transmits the player's user ID, player level, time taken to complete, and requested statistics to be sent to the requesting user account, along with the minigame title, to the Mercenary Game Manager, along with an indication that the minigame has been completed. Alternatively, if the requesting user has requested recording of the gameplay, the user device adds a video recording of the gameplay to all the same information and transmits it to the Mercenary Game Manager in step 1334.

[0110] In step 1336, the Mercenary Game Manager stores mini-game statistics and video in local storage for the mini-game player's user ID. In step 1338, the gaming system determines whether gameplay has been requested by the user. If gameplay has been requested, in step 1340, the Mercenary Game Manager sends the mini-game statistics and recording URL to the user ID of the requesting user in the user account system. If gameplay has not been requested by the user, the Mercenary Game Manager sends the mini-game statistics and recording URL to the user ID in the user account system.

[0111] In step 1344, the gaming system determines whether the user has requested to post mini-game statistics and / or a video of gameplay on social media. In this case, step 1346 includes the Mercenary Game Manager sending the mini-game player statistics and a recording URL link to the social media plugin. In step 1348, the social media plugin sends the mini-game player statistics and the recording URL to each target social media platform, and to the target groups and users within each platform.

[0112] FIGS. 14aa through 14b are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1400) for a user to request help from a mercenary during a gaming session, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The process (1400) illustrates an exemplary method for a user to request a mercenary when the user is stuck in progress in a single-player game to pass a specific level, as well as a method for a mercenary to accept the request. The process (1400) enables a single-player mode to switch to a mercenary single-player mode when the mode is set for cooperative play in which two players can attack computer bots but neither player can attack the other. Computer bots can eliminate both players. A specific mercenary player may be invited by the requesting user, or a notification may be sent to multiple requested mercenary players. Additionally, an SOS may be sent to all players with the mercenary mode activated so that the first player to accept participation can join the requesting user. The process (1400) may be implemented, wholly or partially, by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and FIGS. 10. One or more operations of the process (1400) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1400) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1400), such as one or more of those illustrated in FIGS. 9 and FIGS. 10.

[0113] Process 1400

[0114] In step 1402, the gaming system determines that the user is logged into the gaming platform and is playing a single-player game that supports Mercenary Mode. In step 1404, the user pauses the game, and in step 1406, the gaming system provides an option to request assistance from a mercenary.

[0115] In step 1408, the gaming system determines whether the user has selected the option to request a mercenary. If not, the process (1400) may remain in a paused state or be terminated. If the user has selected the option to select a mercenary, the process 1400 includes, in step 1410, the client device or cloud system requesting a list of mercenaries including the user's user ID, a mercenary mode indicator, and a game title, and transmitting the request to the mercenary game manager.

[0116] In step 1412, the mercenary game manager searches for players who have access to game titles suitable for the user's current game, including the players' social media accounts. In step 1414, the mercenary game manager transmits a mercenary list response to the client device or cloud system that requested the list, which contains a list of mercenaries including statistics of the relevant candidate mercenaries and links to their social media accounts. In step 1416, the gaming system provides the user with the list of mercenaries, along with their social media links and an SOS option. The SOS option allows the user to request help from all available players, as previously described.

[0117] In step 1418, the gaming system determines whether the user has selected the SOS option. In this case, in step 1420, the user's client device transmits a mercenary request to the mercenary game manager, and the request includes a user ID, game title, type of requested help, current level, and a list of candidate mercenaries to request (e.g., all users). If the user has not selected the SOS option, the process includes selecting one or more users to transmit the mercenary request to in step 1422. In step 1424, the user's client device transmits a mercenary request to the mercenary game manager, and the request includes a user ID, game title, type of requested help, current level, optionally a video clip, and a list of selected users.

[0118] In step 1426, the mercenary game manager generates and stores a unique mercenary session ID for a new mercenary help session. The gaming system can use this unique mercenary session ID to initiate a multiplayer gaming session. In step 1428, the mercenary game manager sends a mercenary request to a social media platform integration system, and the request includes a user ID, the type of help requested, the game title, the game level, a list of selected users to whom the request will be sent, and the mercenary session ID.

[0119] In step 1430, the social media platform integration system may retrieve social media user ID information for each social media site where the user has a social media account for the requesting user. In step 1432, the social media platform integration system retrieves the social media user ID of each user and other information regarding each associated social media site for each of the list of users selected to send a request for help.

[0120] In step 1434, the social media platform integration system retrieves the social media user ID of each user for each of the selected users to whom a help request will be sent, for each of the social media sites identified in step 1432. In step 1436, the social media platform plugin sends a mercenary notification help request (invitation) to the selected user's social media account, and the request includes information such as the user's social media user ID information, game title, game level, offered reward, video clip, and mercenary session ID.

[0121] FIGS. 15aa through 15cb are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1500) for assisting a user in completing a level in the user's game by having an invited mercenary participate in the user according to some examples of the present disclosure, using the mercenary's player-controlled character or emulated character. As described below, the mercenary may choose to transmit their emulated version to complete the mission specified in the invitation. An exemplary process for developing an emulated version of the mercenary is further described in U.S. Application 18 / 241,106 filed August 31, 2023, and U.S. Application 18 / 241,109 filed August 31, 2023, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The process (1500) may be implemented, in whole or in part, by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and FIG. 10. One or more operations of the process (1500) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1500) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1500) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and FIGS. 10).

[0122] In step 1501, the mercenary user receives a request from the requesting user to assist the requesting user in their game. In step 1502, the gaming system determines whether the request was received from a social media notification or from a game platform system notification. If the request was received as a game platform system notification, step 1504 includes determining whether the mercenary user accepted the invitation and chose to deploy the mercenary user's emulated player to assist the requesting user. If the mercenary user chose to deploy their emulated player in step 1504, the process proceeds to step 1510, where the mercenary player's gaming device or cloud device sends an emulated player assistance request to the mercenary game manager, which includes the mercenary player's mercenary session ID and user ID.

[0123] However, if the mercenary user chooses to participate in the game of the user who directly requested it (without placing an emulated character), the process proceeds to step 1508.

[0124] Returning to step 1502, if the invitation is received as a social media invitation, the gaming system may determine in step 1503 whether the mercenary has chosen to accept and has chosen to deploy the emulated character of the mercenary user. If the mercenary has chosen to directly assist the requesting user (e.g., 'No' in step 1503), the process (1500) proceeds to step 1505. In step 1505, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary user is on a local or cloud gaming device capable of running the game title. If not, the process (1500) may be terminated. If the mercenary user is running using a device capable of running the game title, step 1506 includes a social media site that presents the mercenary user with an option to participate in the requesting user's assistance session by selecting an option to run the game title from the invitation.

[0125] Step 1507, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary user has chosen to participate in the requesting user's gaming session (e.g., whether they have accepted the invitation). If not, the process (1500) may be terminated. If the mercenary user has chosen to accept the invitation in Step 1507, in Step 1508, the mercenary user device or cloud service executes the game title transmitted by the requesting user. Then, in Step 1509, the process proceeds to the process (1600) described below with reference to FIGS. 16a through 16cb.

[0126] In step 1503, if the mercenary user chooses to send an emulated user to assist the requested user, the process proceeds to step 1511. In step 1511, the social media platform integration system sends an emulation assistance request containing the mercenary session ID and the mercenary user's user ID to the social media platform plugin. In step 1512, the social media platform plugin sends an emulation player assistance request to the mercenary game manager. In step 1513, the mercenary game manager sends the emulation player assistance request to the player emulation system.

[0127] At step 1514, the player emulation system makes a game engine start request to the cloud-based gaming platform system, including the game title, the emulated player ID, and the mercenary session ID. At step 1515, the player emulation system initiates player emulation for an emulated player (e.g., a mercenary) with the most recent skill level activated. At step 1516, the cloud-based gaming platform system sends a join request to the mercenary game manager, which includes the mercenary session ID and the mercenary's user ID.

[0128] In step 1517, the gaming system determines whether the game multiplayer session is running on a game multiplayer server that supports Mercenaries mode. If not, the Mercenaries game manager sends a start request to the game multiplayer server to start a multiplayer game session in step 1518. This may otherwise be referred to as instantiating multiplayer mode or instantiating a multiplayer game session.

[0129] In step 1519, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server. In step 1520, the game multiplayer server sends a join response to the Mercenary Game Manager, and in step 1521, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a response to the cloud-based virtual machine running the emulated Mercenary Player.

[0130] In step 1522, a cloud-based virtual machine running an emulated Mercenary player can connect to and join a multiplayer service session running on a game multiplayer server for a Mercenary session ID. In step 1523, the Mercenary game manager sends a mode switching request containing the Mercenary session ID to the client device or cloud-based virtual machine. In step 1524, gameplay within the game engine running the title on the requesting player's device or cloud-based gaming service is switched to multiplayer support.

[0131] In step 1525, the game engine running the title on the requesting player's device or cloud-based gaming service sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 1526, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. In step 1527, the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary sends a join request containing connection information and a Mercenary session ID to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 1528, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a response containing connection information and a Mercenary session ID to the requesting player's game engine. In step 1529, the device running the requesting user's game or cloud-based platform system connects to and joins the multiplayer service running on the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary.

[0132] At step 1530, the gaming system determines whether a request has been made for the mercenary to be streamed to a social media site for the emulated player. If so, at step 1541, the social media platform integration system sends the streaming request to the social media platform plugin. Then, at step 1542, the social media platform plugin sends the streaming request to the mercenary game manager. At step 1543, the mercenary game manager receives the streaming request, and at step 1544, the mercenary game manager sends the streaming request to the cloud-based gaming platform system.

[0133] At step 1545, the cloud-based gaming platform starts encoding and streaming to a URL address for the cloud gaming session. At step 1546, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a streaming request to the Mercenary Game Manager. At step 1547, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a streaming response to the social media platform plugin. At step 1548, the social media platform plugin sends the streaming response to the social media platform integration system. And at step 1549, the social media platform sends a notification containing a URL link to the Mercenary users, enabling the Mercenaries to spectate the streamed video of their emulated players.

[0134] In step 1530, if the gaming system has not requested that the mercenary be streamed to the emulated player, step 1531 includes causing the cloud-based virtual machine running the emulated player's game to start a recording session. In step 1532, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has completed a mission, been eliminated, or ended a session.

[0135] In step 1533, if the mercenary ends the session, the process (1500) proceeds to step 1534. In step 1534, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has successfully completed the mission. If so, in step 1535, the mercenary game manager delivers the agreed reward to the mercenary. Otherwise, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a video storage request to the mercenary game manager.

[0136] In step 1533, if the mercenary has not ended the session (and the mission is completed as determined in step 1532), the process proceeds to step 1537. In step 1537, the cloud-based virtual machine running the game engine of the emulated mercenary player stops recording. In step 1538, the cloud-based gaming platform trims the recorded video. In step 1539, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a video save request to the mercenary game manager. In step 1540, the mercenary game manager downloads and saves the video.

[0137] FIGS. 16a through 16cb are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1600) in which an invited mercenary participates with a user and helps the user complete a mission in the user's game, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The process (1600) may be implemented, in whole or in part, by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (1600) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1600) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1600), such as one or more of those illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0138] In step 1601, the gaming system determines whether the user is logged into the gaming platform system. If not, in step 1602, the user's cloud gaming system device requests user login from the user account system. In step 1603, the user account system sends a response to the user device or the cloud gaming service.

[0139] At step 1604, the device or cloud gaming service starts the game engine for the game title and the Mercenary session ID. At step 1605, the device or cloud gaming service sends a join request to the Mercenary game manager. At step 1606, the gaming system determines whether the game is running on a multiplayer game server that supports Mercenary mode. If not, at step 1607, the Mercenary game manager sends a multiplayer server start request to the multiplayer server (e.g., instantiating multiplayer mode or a multiplayer gaming session).

[0140] In step 1608, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the Multiplayer Server. In step 1609, the Multiplayer Server sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager containing connection information and a Mercenary Session ID.

[0141] In step 1610, the mercenary game manager sends a join request containing connection information to a device of a cloud-based virtual machine running the mercenary player's game engine. In step 1611, the cloud-based virtual machine running the mercenary player's game engine connects to and joins a multiplayer service session running on a multiplayer server supporting the mercenary.

[0142] In step 1612, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a transition request to a client device or cloud-based virtual machine running the Mercenary Player game engine. In step 1613, the game engine running on the requesting player's device is transitioned to multiplayer support. In step 1614, the game engine running on the player device sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 1615, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. In step 1616, the multiplayer server sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 1617, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request containing the Mercenary User ID and connection information to the client device or cloud-based virtual machine running the Mercenary Player's game. In step 1618, the device or cloud-based virtual machine running the Mercenary Player's game connects to and joins a multiplayer service session running on the multiplayer server.

[0143] In step 1619, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has requested to stream the session on a social media site. If so, in step 1620, the mercenary player device sends a streaming request to the mercenary game manager. In step 1621, the mercenary game manager sends a streaming response to the social media platform integration system. In step 1622, for each target social media system, the social media platform plugin sends the user ID, link, and social media target parameters to the social media platform integration system. In step 1623, each social media site publishes the stream of the session based on the target parameters. In step 1624, the cloud-based gaming platform encodes the session and begins streaming.

[0144] In step 1619, if the gaming system determines that the mercenary did not request the session to be streamed, step 1625 includes causing the cloud-based virtual machine running the emulated player's game to start recording the session. In step 1626, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has completed the mission, been eliminated, or ended the session.

[0145] In step 1627, if the mercenary has not ended the session, the process (1600) proceeds to step 1632. In step 1632, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has successfully completed the mission. If so, in step 1633, the mercenary game manager delivers the agreed reward to the mercenary. Otherwise, the process (1600) proceeds to step 1628.

[0146] In step 1628, if the mercenary has ended the session, the device or cloud-based virtual machine running the emulated mercenary player's game engine stops recording the session. In step 1629, the cloud-based gaming platform trims the recorded video. In step 1630, the device or cloud-based gaming platform sends a video saving request to the mercenary game manager. In step 1631, the mercenary game manager downloads and saves the video.

[0147] FIGS. 17a and 17b are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1700) for posting a commission or requesting the removal of a target user's player character from a gaming system platform according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The process (1700) may be implemented wholly or partially by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (1700) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1700) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1700) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0148] In step 1702, the gaming system determines that the user has selected the option to request a contract or a removal request through the user's device or cloud gaming service. In step 1704, the gaming system retrieves the name or other identifying information of the target player. In step 1706, the gaming system determines whether the target user has been found and whether mercenary support is turned on. If not, the process (1700) may be terminated.

[0149] In step 1708, the gaming system provides user player information to the requesting user. In step 1710, the requesting user selects from the requesting user's inventory a form of remuneration (or reward) to be paid to the mercenary. In step 1712, the requesting user's device transmits a mercenary request to the mercenary game manager. In step 1714, the mercenary game manager generates a unique mercenary session ID. In step 1716, the mercenary game manager transmits a contract request (e.g., an invitation) to the social media platform integration system.

[0150] In steps 1718, 1720, and 1722, for each social media site associated with the requesting user, the gaming system retrieves the social media user ID of the requesting user based on target parameters (e.g., all friends, only a subset of friends, etc.), the social media plugin transmits the commission request (invitation) and related information to the social media integration plugin, and each social media site posts the commission request (invitation).

[0151] FIGS. 18a and 18b are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1800) for posting a commission or requesting the removal of a target user's player character from a social media account according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The process (1800) may be implemented wholly or partially by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (1800) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1800) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1800) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0152] In step 1802, the gaming system determines that the requesting user has made a request for a commission or a request for removal regarding a target user on the social media site. In step 1804, the social media site searches for information about the target user, including information about the target user's gaming platform.

[0153] Steps 1806 through 1824 are subsequently performed for each relevant gaming platform for the target user.

[0154] In step 1806, the social media platform plugin sends a commission request (e.g., an invitation) to the social media platform integration system for the requested social media site. In step 1808, the social media platform integration system retrieves the social media user ID of the requesting user and the user ID of the target user.

[0155] In step 1810, the gaming system determines whether the target user and the requesting user have the mercenary mode enabled. If not, in step 1812, the social media platform integration system sends a contract request response with an error code to the social media platform plugin. In step 1814, the social media site rejects the requesting user's contract request post.

[0156] In step 1810, if the gaming system determines that both the requesting user and the target user are in Mercenary Mode active, the process (1800) proceeds to step 1816. In step 1816, the social media platform integration system sends a contract request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 1818, the Mercenary Game Manager generates a unique Mercenary Session ID. In step 1820, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a response to the contract request to the social media platform integration system. In step 1822, the social media platform integration system sends the contract request to the social media platform plugin, and in step 1824, the relevant social media site posts the contract request (e.g., an invitation).

[0157] FIGS. 19a and 19b are exemplary flowcharts of a process (1900) for notifying a mercenary when the target player of a requested contract or removal request is playing a relevant game, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The process (1900) may be implemented wholly or partially by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (1900) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (1900) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1900) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0158] In step 1902, the gaming system determines that the target user is logged into the game system platform, has chosen to play the game, and that Mercenary Mode is active. In step 1904, the device or cloud-based service may send a notification to the Mercenary Game Manager indicating that the target user is playing the game, the game mode, and the user ID.

[0159] In step 1906, the mercenary game manager searches for the received user ID to determine which contract request (invitation) this request corresponds to.

[0160] In step 1908, the gaming system determines whether the target user is found within the gaming system. If not, the process (1900) terminates. If the target user is found, in step 1910, the mercenary game manager transmits information to the social media platform integration system, and the information relates to the fact that the user requesting the contract, the mercenary user, and the target user are currently playing the game. The information also includes the user ID of the requesting user, the mercenary user ID, the target user ID, the game title, the selected social media target parameter, and the mercenary session ID.

[0161] In step 1912, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary user is logged into the gaming platform. If the mercenary is logged in, the mercenary game manager provides a notification to the mercenary user's device or cloud gaming platform to indicate that the target user is online and playing a game title in single-player or multi-player mode.

[0162] In step 1916, the gaming system retrieves social media user ID information for each social media site where the requesting user has a social media account for the requesting user. In step 1918, the gaming system retrieves the social media user ID of each mercenary user and other information regarding each associated social media site for each requested mercenary.

[0163] In step 1920, the gaming system retrieves the social media user IDs of each mercenary user for each social media site identified for each requested mercenary in step 1918. In step 1922, the social media platform plugin sends a notification to the social media account of the selected mercenary, and the notification includes information such as whether the target is online and playing a game, the game title, and whether the target user is playing in single-player or multi-player mode.

[0164] FIGS. 20aa through 20dc are exemplary flowcharts of a process (2000) for transmitting a player character emulated to perform a mercenary's commission or elimination request, in accordance with some examples of the present disclosure. The process (2000) may be implemented, in whole or in part, by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (2000) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (2000) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (2000) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0165] In step 2001, the gaming system notifies the mercenary user that the target user is playing a single-player or multi-player game. In step 2002, the gaming system determines whether the notification of the target's online status was received by the mercenary through a game platform or through social media.

[0166] In step 2004, if the mercenary receives a notification via a game platform that the target is online, the gaming system determines whether the user has chosen to take action regarding the notification by deploying an emulated player. If the mercenary chooses to directly participate in the target's game (i.e., not sending an emulated player), the process proceeds to step 2008. In step 2008, the mercenary's device starts the relevant game, and in step 2009, proceeds to the process (2100) described in relation to FIGS. 21aa through 21cc.

[0167] If the mercenary chooses to send the emulated player in step 2004, the process (2000) proceeds to step 2010. In step 2010, the mercenary device sends an emulated player help request to the mercenary game manager.

[0168] However, in step 2002, if the gaming system determines that the target user's online status has been received by the mercenary via a social media notification, the process proceeds to step 2003. In step 2003, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary user has chosen to place an emulated player in the target user's game session. If the mercenary has chosen to participate in the target's game directly (i.e., not send an emulated player), the process (2000) proceeds to step (2005). In step 2005, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary user is on a device capable of running the game title. If not, the process (2000) may be terminated. If the mercenary user is operating using a device capable of running the game title, step 2006 includes a social media site that presents the mercenary user with the option to participate in the target user's mercenary commission session by selecting an option to run the game title from an invitation.

[0169] In step 2007, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary user has chosen to join the target user's gaming session. If not, the process (2000) may be terminated. If the mercenary user has chosen to join the target user's session in step 2007, in step 2008, the mercenary user's device or cloud service executes the game title being played by the target user. Then, in step 2009, the process proceeds to the process (2100) described below with reference to FIGS. 21aa through 21cc.

[0170] In step 2003, if the mercenary user chooses to send an emulated player to perform a removal request against a target user, the process proceeds to step 2011. In step 2011, the social media platform integration system transmits an emulated player contract request containing the mercenary session ID and the mercenary user's user ID to the social media platform plugin. In step 2012, the social media platform plugin transmits the emulated player contract request to the mercenary game manager. In step 2013, the mercenary game manager transmits the emulated player contract request to the player emulation system.

[0171] In step 2014, the player emulation system makes a game engine start request to the cloud-based gaming platform system, including a game title, an emulated player ID, and a mercenary session ID. In step 2015, the player emulation system initiates player emulation for an emulated player (e.g., a mercenary) with the most recent skill level activated. In step 2016, the cloud-based gaming platform system sends a join request to the mercenary game manager, which includes the mercenary session ID and the mercenary's user ID.

[0172] In step 2017, the gaming system determines whether the target user is playing in single-player mode or multi-player mode. If the target user is playing in multi-player mode, the gaming system determines in step 2018 whether a notification containing a multi-player session ID has been sent to the mercenary player. Otherwise, in step 2019, the mercenary game manager stores the mercenary user ID and the target user ID as a group and places them together in the next multi-player session (e.g., through the game matchmaking process).

[0173] If the gaming system determines that the notification sent to the mercenary in step 2018 includes a multiplayer session ID, the process (2000) proceeds to step 2021. In step 2021, the gaming system determines whether the multiplayer session has an empty slot to add the mercenary player. If so, in step 2029, the mercenary game manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server to add the mercenary to the multiplayer session. If there is no empty slot in step 2021, the gaming system determines in step 2022 whether the multiplayer session containing the target user has ended. Otherwise, the process repeats steps 2021 and 2022 until the target user's multiplayer session ends. If the target user's multiplayer session ends in step 2022, the gaming system determines in step 2023 whether the target user is waiting for a new multiplayer session (e.g., whether the target is attempting to join a new multiplayer session).

[0174] In step 2020, the Mercenary game manager waits for the next multiplayer session to force the Mercenary and the Objective to become part of the same multiplayer session. In step 2024, the gaming system determines whether a player can be added to the multiplayer session. If not, the process returns to step 2020. If the multiplayer session is available for joining in step 2024, the process proceeds to step 2025.

[0175] In step 2025, the Mercenary Game Manager creates a multiplayer session for one or more other players, along with the Mercenary and the Objective. In step 2026, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join notification to the Mercenary's emulated virtual machine. In step 2027, the emulated player's virtual machine sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2028, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. The process then proceeds to step 2034, described below.

[0176] In step 2017, if the gaming system determines that the target user is playing in single-player mode, the process proceeds to step 2030. In step 2030, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a switch request to the target user's device. In step 2031, the gaming system determines whether the target user's game is a multiplayer game session running on a multiplayer server that supports Mercenary. If not, in step 2032, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a multiplayer server start request to the multiplayer server that supports Mercenary. In step 2033, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to add an emulated player to the multiplayer server that supports Mercenary. In step 2034, the multiplayer server that supports Mercenary sends a join request containing connection information to the Mercenary Game Manager.

[0177] At step 2035, the Mercenary game manager sends a join session response to the virtual machine running the emulated player of Mercenary. At step 2036, the Mercenary game manager sends a mode switch request containing the Mercenary session ID to the client device or cloud-based virtual machine running the target player's game. At step 2037, gameplay in the game engine running the title on the target player's device or cloud-based gaming service is switched to multiplayer support.

[0178] In step 2038, the game engine running the title on the target player's device or cloud-based gaming service sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2039, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. In step 2040, the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary sends a join request containing connection information and a Mercenary session ID to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2041, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join session response containing connection information for the target player's game engine. In step 2042, the device or cloud-based platform system running the requesting user's game engine connects to and joins the multiplayer service running on the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary.

[0179] In step 2043, the game engine running the emulated mercenary player connects to and joins the multiplayer server.

[0180] At step 2044, the gaming system determines whether a request has been made for the mercenary to be streamed to a social media site for the emulated player. If so, at step 2045, the social media platform integration system sends the streaming request to the social media platform plugin. Then, at step 2046, the social media platform plugin sends the streaming request to the mercenary game manager. At step 2047, the mercenary game manager receives the streaming request, and at step 2048, the mercenary game manager sends the streaming request to the cloud-based gaming platform system.

[0181] At step 2049, the cloud-based gaming platform starts encoding and streaming to a URL address for the cloud gaming session. At step 2050, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a streaming request to the Mercenary Game Manager. At step 2051, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a streaming response to the social media platform plugin. At step 2052, the social media platform plugin sends the streaming response to the social media platform integration system. And at step 2053, the social media platform sends a notification containing a URL link to the Mercenary users, enabling the Mercenaries to spectate the streamed video of their emulated players.

[0182] In step 2044, if the gaming system has not requested that the mercenary be streamed to the emulated player, step 2054 includes causing the cloud-based virtual machine running the emulated player's game to start a recording session. In step 2055, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has completed a mission, been eliminated, or ended a session.

[0183] In step 2056, if the mercenary ends the session (and it is determined in step 2055 that the mission is completed), the process proceeds to step 2064. In step 2064, the cloud-based virtual machine running the mercenary player's game engine stops recording. In step 2065, the cloud-based gaming platform trims the recorded video. In step 2066, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a video save request to the mercenary game manager. In step 2067, the mercenary game manager downloads and saves the video.

[0184] If the mercenary has not ended the session at step 2056, the process (2000) proceeds to step 2057. At step 2057, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has successfully completed the mission. If so, at step 2058, the mercenary game manager delivers the agreed reward to the mercenary. Afterward, at step 2059, the target user is notified that they have been removed by the emulation of the mercenary hired by the requesting user. At step 2060, the requesting user is notified that the target has been successfully removed.

[0185] If the emulated player does not succeed at step 2057, the gaming system determines at step 2068 whether the target has removed the mercenary's emulated player. If the target user has removed the mercenary's emulated player, the process proceeds to step 2061. At step 2061, the target user is notified that the mercenary user's emulation has been removed. Then, at step 2062, the hired user or the requesting user is notified that the target user has removed the mercenary's emulated player.

[0186] If the gaming system determines at step 2068 that the target user failed to eliminate the mercenary at step 2068, the mercenary mission was not successfully completed at step 2057, and the process (2000) proceeds to step 2063. At step 2063, the hired user is notified that the mercenary failed to eliminate the target user. The process (2000) then proceeds to the aforementioned steps 2064 through 2067.

[0187] FIGS. 21aa through 21cc are exemplary flowcharts of a process (2100) for a mercenary to participate in a target user's gaming session to perform a contract or removal request, according to some examples of the present disclosure. The process (2100) may be implemented wholly or partially by the gaming system illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. One or more operations of the process (2100) may be incorporated into or combined with one or more operations of any other process or embodiment described herein. The process (2100) may be stored in memory or storage as one or more instructions or routines executed by a corresponding device or system to implement the process (1000) (as in one or more of FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0188] In step 2101, the mercenary device sends a join request to the mercenary game manager. In step 2102, the gaming system determines whether the target user is playing in single-player mode or multi-player mode. If the target user is playing in multi-player mode, the gaming system determines in step 2103 whether a notification containing a multi-player session ID has been sent to the mercenary player. Otherwise, in step 2104, the mercenary game manager stores the mercenary user ID and the target user ID as a group and places them together in the next multi-player session (e.g., through the game matchmaking process).

[0189] If the gaming system determines that the notification sent to the mercenary in step 2103 includes a multiplayer session ID, the process (2100) proceeds to step 2105. In step 2105, the gaming system determines whether the multiplayer session has an empty slot to add the mercenary player. If so, in step 2106, the mercenary game manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server to add the mercenary to the multiplayer session. If there is no empty slot in step 2105, the gaming system determines in step 2107 whether the multiplayer session containing the target user has ended. Otherwise, the process repeats steps 2105 and 2107 until the target user's multiplayer session ends. When the target user's multiplayer session ends in step 2107, the gaming system determines in step 2108 whether the target user is waiting for a new multiplayer session (e.g., whether the target is attempting to join a new multiplayer session).

[0190] In step 2109, the Mercenary game manager waits for the next multiplayer session to force the Mercenary and the Objective to become part of the same multiplayer session. In step 2110, the gaming system determines whether a player can be added to the multiplayer session. If not, the process returns to step 2109. If the multiplayer session is available for joining in step 2110, the process proceeds to step 2111.

[0191] In step 2111, the Mercenary Game Manager creates a multiplayer session for one or more other players, along with the Mercenary and the Objective. In step 2112, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the Mercenary's virtual machine. In step 2113, the Mercenary's virtual machine sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2114, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the multiplayer server. The process then proceeds to step 2119, which is described below.

[0192] In step 2102, if the gaming system determines that the target user is playing in single-player mode, the process proceeds to step 2115. In step 2115, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a switch request to the target user's device. In step 2116, the gaming system determines whether the target user's game is a multiplayer game session running on a multiplayer server. If not, in step 2117, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a multiplayer server start request to the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. In step 2118, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary to add the Mercenary player. In step 2119, the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary sends a join request containing connection information to the Mercenary Game Manager.

[0193] In step 2120, the Mercenary game manager sends a participation session response to the virtual machine running the Mercenary's game. In step 2121, the Mercenary game manager sends a mode switching request containing the Mercenary session ID to the client device or cloud-based virtual machine running the target player's game. In step 2122, gameplay in the game engine running the title on the target player's device or cloud-based gaming service is switched to multiplayer support.

[0194] In step 2123, the game engine running the title on the target player's device or cloud-based gaming service sends a join request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2124, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join request to the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. In step 2125, the game multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary sends a join request containing connection information and a Mercenary session ID to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2126, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a join session response containing connection information for the target player's game engine. In step 2127, the device or cloud-based platform system running the requesting user's game engine connects to and joins the multiplayer service running on the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary. In step 2128, the device or cloud-based platform system running the Mercenary player's game engine connects to and joins the multiplayer service running on the multiplayer server supporting the Mercenary.

[0195] In step 2129, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has requested to stream the mercenary player on a social media site. If so, in step 2130, the social media platform integration system sends the streaming request to the social media platform plugin. Then, in step 2131, the social media platform plugin sends the streaming request to the mercenary game manager. In step 2132, the mercenary game manager receives the streaming request, and in step 2133, the mercenary game manager sends the streaming request to the cloud-based gaming platform system.

[0196] In step 2134, the cloud-based gaming platform starts encoding and streaming to a URL address for the cloud gaming session. In step 2135, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a streaming request to the Mercenary Game Manager. In step 2136, the Mercenary Game Manager sends a streaming response to the social media platform plugin. In step 2137, the social media platform plugin sends the streaming response to the social media platform integration system. And in step 2138, the social media platform sends a notification containing a URL link to the Mercenary users, enabling the Mercenaries to spectate the streamed video of their emulated players.

[0197] In step 2129, if the gaming system has not requested that the mercenary player be streamed, step 2139 includes causing the cloud-based virtual machine running the mercenary player's game to start a recording session. In step 2140, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has completed a mission, been eliminated, or ended a session.

[0198] In step 2141, if the mercenary ends the session (and it is determined in step 2140 that the mission is completed), the process proceeds to step 2142. In step 2142, the cloud-based virtual machine running the mercenary player's game engine stops recording. In step 2143, the cloud-based gaming platform trims the recorded video. In step 2144, the cloud-based gaming platform sends a video save request to the mercenary game manager. In step 2145, the mercenary game manager downloads and saves the video.

[0199] If the mercenary has not ended the session in step 2041, the process (2100) proceeds to step 2146. In step 2146, the gaming system determines whether the mercenary has successfully completed the mission. If so, in step 2147, the mercenary game manager delivers the agreed reward to the mercenary. Subsequently, in step 2148, the target user is notified that they have been eliminated by the mercenary player hired by the user who requested them. In step 2149, the requesting user is notified that the target has been successfully eliminated.

[0200] If the mercenary player did not succeed in step 2146, the gaming system determines in step 2150 whether the target has eliminated the mercenary player. If the target user has eliminated the mercenary player, the process proceeds to step 2151. In step 2151, the target user is notified that they have eliminated the mercenary user. And in step 2152, the hired user or the requesting user is notified that the target user has eliminated the mercenary player.

[0201] If the gaming system determines in step 2150 that the target user failed to eliminate the mercenary in step 2068, the mercenary mission was not successfully completed in step 2146, and the process (2100) proceeds to step 2153. In step 2153, the hired user is notified that the mercenary failed to eliminate the target user. The process (2100) then proceeds to the aforementioned steps 2142 through 2145.

[0202] FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a device, a component of each device, and a data flow between them for performing the functions and features disclosed herein, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. A system (2200) is illustrated as comprising a client device (2218), a server (2202), and a communication network (2214). While a single instance of a component may be illustrated and described in relation to FIG. 22, it is understood that additional instances of the component may be employed. For example, the server (2202) may include one or more servers or be integrated with one or more servers. Similarly, the communication network (2214) may include one or more servers or be integrated with one or more servers. The server (2202) is illustrated as being communicably coupled to the client device (2218) through the communication network (2214). Although not illustrated in FIG. 22, the server (2202) may be coupled to communicate with a client device (2218) in a system that, for example, does not have a communication network (2214) or bypasses the communication network (2214).

[0203] The communication network (2214) may include one or more network systems, such as the Internet, LAN, WIFI, or other network systems suitable for voice processing applications, without limitation. In some embodiments, the system (2200) excludes the server (2202), and in other cases, the function to be implemented by the server (2202) is instead implemented by other components of the system (2200), such as one or more components of the communication network (2214). In another embodiment, the server (2202) operates with one or more components of the communication network (2214) to implement the specific function described herein in a distributed or cooperative manner. Similarly, in some embodiments, the system (2200) excludes the client device (2218), and in other cases, the function to be implemented by the client device (2218) is instead implemented by other components of the system (2200), such as one or more components of the communication network (2214) or the server (2202), or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the client device (2218) operates with one or more components of the communication network (2214) or server (2202) to implement the specific functions described herein in a distributed or cooperative manner.

[0204] The client device (2218) includes a control circuit (2228), a display (2234), and an input-output circuit section (2216). The control circuit section (2228) ultimately includes a transceiver circuit (2262), a storage (2238), and a processing circuit section (2240). In some embodiments, the client device (2218) or the control circuit section (2228) may be configured as the user device (2235) of FIG. 22.

[0205] The server (2202) includes a control circuit (2220) and storage (2224). The storage (2224 and 2238) may each be an electronic storage device. As referred to herein, the phrase “electronic storage device” or “storage device” is accepted to mean any device such as random access memory, read-only memory, hard drive, optical drive, digital video disc (DVD) recorder, BLU-RAY disc (BD) recorder, BLU-RAY 3D disc recorder, digital video recorder (also referred to as DVR, personal video recorder or PVR), solid state device, quantum storage device, gaming console, gaming media, or any other suitable fixed or removable storage device, and / or any combination thereof for storing electronic data, computer software, or firmware. Each storage (2224, 2238) may be used to store various types of content, media data, and / or other types of data (e.g., it may be used to store media content such as voice, video, and advertising data). Non-volatile memory may also be used (e.g., to execute boot-up routines and other commands). Cloud-based storage may be used to supplement the storage (2224, 2238) or to be used instead of the storage (2224, 2238). In some embodiments, pre-encoded or encoded media content may be stored in one or more storages (2224, 2238) according to the present disclosure.

[0206] In some embodiments, the control circuit (2220 and / or 2228) executes instructions for one or more applications (e.g., implemented by a gaming system) stored in memory (e.g., storage (2224) and / or storage (2238)). Specifically, the control circuit (2220 and / or 2228) may be instructed by the application to perform the functions described herein. In some embodiments, any operation performed by the control circuit (2220 and / or 2228) may be based on instructions received from the application. For example, the application may be implemented as software or a set of executable instructions that can be stored in storage (2224 and / or 2238) and executed by the control circuit (2220 and / or 2228). In some embodiments, the application may be a client / server application in which only the client application resides on the client device (2218) and the server application resides on the server (2202).

[0207] The application may be implemented using any suitable architecture. For example, it may be a standalone application fully implemented on a client device (2218). In this approach, commands for the application are stored locally (e.g., in storage (2238)), and data for use by the application is periodically downloaded (e.g., from an out-of-band feed, from internet resources, or using another suitable approach). The control circuit (2228) may receive commands for the application from the storage (2238) and process the commands to perform the functions described herein. Based on the processed commands, the control circuit (2228) may determine the type of action to perform in response to an input received from an input / output path (or input-output circuit) (2216) or a communication network (2214). For example, in response to receiving a notification to the client device (2218), the control circuit (2228) may perform steps of the process related to the various embodiments described herein.

[0208] In a client / server-based embodiment, the control circuit (2228) may include a communication circuit suitable for communicating with an application server (e.g., server (2202)) or other network or server. Instructions for performing the functions described herein may be stored on the application server. The communication circuit may include a cable modem, an Ethernet card, or a wireless modem for communicating with other equipment, or any other suitable communication circuit. Such communication may include the Internet or other suitable communication network or path (e.g., communication network (2214)). In another example of a client / server-based application, the control circuit (2228) drives a web browser that interprets a web page provided by a remote server (e.g., server (2202)). For example, the remote server may store instructions for an application on a storage device. The remote server may use the circuit (e.g., control circuit (2228)) to process the stored instructions and / or generate a display. The client device (2218) can receive a display generated by a remote server and can display the content of the display locally through the display (2234). In this way, the processing of commands is performed remotely (e.g., by the server (2202)), while the resulting display, such as the display window described in other parts of this specification, is provided locally on the client device (2218). The client device (2218) can receive input from a user through the input circuit (2216) and can transmit these inputs to the remote server to process and generate a corresponding display. Alternatively, the client device (2218) can receive input from a user through the input circuit (2216) and can process and display the received input locally by the control circuit (2228) and the display (2234).

[0209] The server (2202) and the client device (2218) can transmit and receive content and data, such as media content, through the communication network (2214). For example, the server (2202) may be a media content provider, and the client device (2218) may be a smart television configured to download or stream media content, such as YouTube videos, from the server (2202). The control circuits (2220, 2228) can transmit and receive commands, requests, and other suitable data through the communication network (2214) using the transceiver circuits (2260, 2262), respectively. The control circuits (2220, 2228) can bypass the communication network (2214) by communicating directly with each other using the transceiver circuits (2260, 2262), respectively.

[0210] It is understood that the client device (2218) is not limited to the embodiments and methods shown and described herein. In non-limiting examples, the client device (2218) may be a gaming system or gaming platform, a television, a smart TV, a set-top box, an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) for handling satellite television, a digital storage device, a digital media receiver (DMR), a digital media adapter (DMA), a streaming media device, a DVD player, a DVD recorder, a connected DVD, a local media server, a BLU-RAY player, a BLU-RAY recorder, a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a WebTV box, a personal computer television (PC / TV), a PC media server, a PC media center, a handheld computer, a fixed telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a portable video player, a portable music player, a portable gaming machine, a smartphone, or other device, client equipment, or a wireless device, and / or a combination thereof.

[0211] The control circuit section (2220 and / or 2218) may each be based on any suitable processing circuit section, such as the processing circuit section (2226 and / or 2240). As referred to herein, a processing circuit means a circuit section based on one or more processors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc., and should be understood to include a multi-core processor (e.g., dual-core, quad-core, hexa-core, or any suitable number of cores). In some embodiments, the processing circuit may be distributed across a number of individual processors, for example, processors of the same type (e.g., two Intel Core i9 processors) or a number of different processors (e.g., an Intel Core i7 processor and an Intel Core i9 processor). In some embodiments, the control circuit section (2220) and / or the control circuit section (2218) is configured to implement a media content operating system, such as a system or part thereof that performs various processes described herein.

[0212] The client device (2218) receives user input (2204) from the input circuit (2216). For example, the client device (2218) may receive user input such as a user swipe or a user touch as described above. In some embodiments, the client device (2218) is a media device (or player) capable of accessing media content. It is understood that the client device (2218) is not limited to the embodiments and methods shown and described herein. In a non-limiting example, the client device (2218) may be a gaming system or gaming platform, a television, a smart TV, a set-top box, a novel decoder (IRD) for handling satellite television, a digital storage device, a digital media receiver (DMR), a digital media adapter (DMA), a streaming media device, a DVD player, a DVD recorder, a connected DVD, a local media server, a BLU-RAY player, a BLU-RAY recorder, a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a WebTV box, a personal computer television (PC / TV), a PC media server, a PC media center, a handheld computer, a fixed telephone, a PDA, a mobile phone, a portable video player, a portable music player, a portable gaming machine, a smartphone, or any other television equipment, computing equipment, or wireless device, and / or a combination thereof.

[0213] User input (2204) may be received from a device (2218), such as a remote control device, a trackpad, or any other suitable user motion detection or capture device, or from a part of the device (2218), such as a touchscreen of a display (2234). Transmission of user input (2204) to a client device (2218) may be achieved via a wired connection attached to a corresponding input port on a local device, such as an audio cable, a USB cable, an Ethernet cable, etc., or may be achieved using a wireless connection, such as BLUETOOTH, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, ZIGBEE, GSM, UTMS, CDMA, TDMA, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, or other suitable wireless communication protocol. The input circuit section (2216) may include a physical input port such as a 3.5 mm audio jack, an RCA audio jack, a USB port, an Ethernet port, or any other suitable connection for receiving voice via a wired connection, or may include a wireless receiver configured to receive data via BLUETOOTH, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, ZIGBEE, GSM, UTMS, CDMA, TDMA, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, or other wireless transmission protocols.

[0214] The processing circuit (2240) may receive an input (2204) from the input circuit (2216). The processing circuit (2240) may convert or convert the user input (2204), which may be in the form of a gesture or movement, into a digital signal. In some embodiments, the input circuit (2216) performs the conversion into a digital signal. In some embodiments, the processing circuit (2240) (or, in some cases, the processing circuit (2226)) performs the disclosed process and method.

[0215] The systems and processes described above are considered exemplary and are not limiting. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the operations of the processes described herein may be omitted, modified, merged, and / or rearranged, and any additional operations may be performed without departing from the scope of the invention. More generally, the aforementioned disclosure is intended to be exemplary and is not limiting. Only the following claims are intended to define the scope of what the disclosure includes. Furthermore, features and limitations described in any one embodiment may be applied to any other embodiment of this specification, and flowcharts or examples related to one embodiment may be combined in a suitable manner, in a different order, or in parallel. Additionally, the systems and methods described herein may be performed in real time. It is understood that the systems and / or methods described above may be applied to other systems and / or methods, or used according to other systems and / or methods. In this specification, the following terms may be understood in accordance with the following description.

[0216] All features disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings), and / or all steps of any disclosed method or process may be combined in any combination, except for mutually exclusive combinations of at least these features and / or steps.

[0217] Each feature disclosed herein (including any appended claims, outline, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature functioning for the same, equivalent, or similar purpose unless expressly described otherwise. Accordingly, unless expressly described otherwise, each disclosed feature is merely one of a series of examples of equivalent or similar features.

[0218] The present invention(s) are not limited to the details of any previously described embodiments. The present invention(s) extend to any novel feature disclosed herein, or any combination of novel features, or any novel step of any method or processor disclosed herein, or any combination of novel methods. The claims should not be interpreted as covering only the previously described embodiments, but should also be interpreted as covering any embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims.

[0219] Throughout the detailed description and claims of this specification, the terms “comprising” and “accommodating” and variations thereof mean “comprising but not limited thereto,” and are not intended to exclude (and do not exclude) other moiety, additions, components, integers, or steps. Throughout the detailed description and claims of this specification, unless the content requires otherwise, the singular form includes the plural form. In particular, where an indefinite article is used, this specification should be understood to consider both singular and plural forms unless the content requires otherwise.

[0220] All features disclosed herein (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings), and / or all steps of any disclosed method or process may be combined in any combination, except for mutually exclusive combinations of at least such features and / or steps. The invention is not limited to the details of any previously described embodiments. The invention extends to any novel feature disclosed herein, or any novel combination thereof, or any novel step of any disclosed method or process, or any novel combination thereof.

[0221] The reader shall note all papers and documents filed simultaneously with or prior to this specification in relation to the present invention and publicly available in relation to this specification, the contents of such papers and documents in their entirety are incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0222] This specification discloses embodiments including, but not limited to, the following.

[0223] 1. In a computer-implemented method,

[0224] A step of sending an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of the first user;

[0225] A step of receiving acceptance of the invitation from a second user through a second computing device;

[0226] A step of determining that the above gaming session has started - the above gaming session includes a video game being played by the first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user's first character is participating without the character of another user - ;

[0227] In the gaming session for the video game, a step of determining whether the current point corresponds to an insertion point;

[0228] In response to the determination that the current point corresponds to the insertion point in the gaming session for the video game,

[0229] (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode so that the gaming session for the video game changes from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server - the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game - ;

[0230] A step of determining whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to a termination trigger point; and

[0231] In response to the determination that the current point in the above modified gaming session corresponds to the above termination trigger point,

[0232] The step of removing the second user from the modified gaming session; and

[0233] A step of changing the modified gaming session for the video game from the multiplayer mode back to the single player mode.

[0234] A computer-implemented method including

[0235] 2. A computer-implemented method according to the first item, wherein the step of transmitting the invitation includes transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account.

[0236] 3. A computer-implemented method according to the first item, wherein the invitation is sent to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job.

[0237] 4. A computer-implemented method according to the first item, wherein the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the method further comprises the step of preventing the first user from being alerted that the invitation has been transmitted.

[0238] 5. A computer-implemented method, wherein, in the first item, the insertion point includes the start of the gaming session for the video game, and the step of determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining whether the first user has started the video game.

[0239] 6. A computer-implemented method according to the first item, wherein the insertion point includes a cutscene of the video game, and the step of determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining that the first character of the first user playing the video game has reached a checkpoint of the video game that initiates the cutscene.

[0240] 7. A computer-implemented method according to the first item, wherein the termination trigger point comprises at least one of (a) the death of the first character of the first user in the video game, (b) the death of the second character of the second user in the video game, (c) the death of the boss in the video game, (d) the completion of a level in the video game, (e) the completion of a mission in the video game, and (f) the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play in the video game.

[0241] 8. In the first item, the invitation is transmitted by a third user, and the invitation includes a request to remove the first user's first character in the video game, and the method is,

[0242] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of sending a notification to the second user indicating that the first user has started a gaming session of the video game.

[0243] 9. In item 8, the notification is a first notification, and the termination trigger point includes (a) removal of the first character of the first user in the video game or (b) removal of the second character of the second user in the video game, and the method is,

[0244] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of sending a second notification to the third user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point, wherein the second notification indicates whether the first character of the first user has been removed.

[0245] 10. In Item 1,

[0246] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of paying a reward to the second user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end point.

[0247] 11. In the first item, the step of transmitting the invitation is,

[0248] A step of determining that the first user has activated a waiting request based on the first setting of the first user—the waiting request includes one or more requirements within the gaming session that must be satisfied for a request to participate in the gaming session to be automatically transmitted—; and

[0249] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of automatically sending an invitation to participate in the first user’s gaming session in response to a determination that one or more requirements within the gaming session have been satisfied.

[0250] 12. In the system,

[0251] Input / Output Circuit - The above input / output circuit is,

[0252] To send an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of the first user; and

[0253] Configured to receive acceptance of the above invitation from a second user via a second computing device - ; and

[0254] It includes a control circuit, and the control circuit comprises,

[0255] To determine that the above gaming session has started - the above gaming session includes a video game being played by the first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user's first character is participating without the other user's character - ;

[0256] In the gaming session for the above video game, to determine whether the current point corresponds to the insertion point;

[0257] In response to the determination that the current point corresponds to the insertion point in the gaming session for the video game,

[0258] (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode so that the gaming session for the video game changes from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server - the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game - ;

[0259] To determine whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to an end trigger point; and

[0260] In response to the determination that the current point in the above modified gaming session corresponds to the above termination trigger point,

[0261] To remove the second user from the modified gaming session; and

[0262] To cause the modified gaming session for the above video game to change back from the multiplayer mode to the single player mode.

[0263] A system that is composed.

[0264] 13. A system according to item 12, wherein the input / output circuit is also configured to transmit the invitation by transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account.

[0265] 14. A system according to item 12, wherein the input / output circuit is also configured to be transmitted to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job.

[0266] 15. A system according to item 12, wherein the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the control circuit further comprises preventing the first user from being notified that the invitation has been transmitted.

[0267] 16. A system according to item 12, wherein the insertion point includes the start of the gaming session for the video game, and the control circuit is configured to determine whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session by determining whether the first user has started the video game.

[0268] 17. A system according to item 12, wherein the insertion point includes a cutscene of the video game, and the control circuit is configured to determine that the current point of the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session by determining that the first character of the first user playing the video game has reached the checkpoint of the video game that initiates the cutscene.

[0269] 18. A system according to item 12, wherein the termination trigger point comprises at least one of (a) the death of the first character of the first user in the video game, (b) the death of the second character of the second user in the video game, (c) the death of the boss in the video game, (d) the completion of a level in the video game, (e) the completion of a mission in the video game, and (f) the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play in the video game.

[0270] 19. In item 12, the invitation is transmitted by a third user, and the invitation includes a request to remove the first user's first character in the video game, and the input / output circuit also,

[0271] A system configured to send a notification to the second user indicating that the first user has started a gaming session of the video game.

[0272] 20. In item 19, the notification is a first notification, and the termination trigger point includes (a) removal of the first character of the first user in the video game or (b) removal of the second character of the second user in the video game, and the input / output circuit also,

[0273] A system configured to send a second notification to the third user in response to a determination that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point, wherein the second notification indicates whether the first character of the first user has been removed.

[0274] 21. In item 12, the control circuit also,

[0275] A system configured to pay a reward to the second user in response to a determination that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end point.

[0276] 22. In item 12, the above input / output circuit also,

[0277] Based on the first setting of the first user, by determining that the first user has activated a waiting request—the waiting request includes one or more requirements within the gaming session that must be satisfied for a request to participate in the gaming session to be automatically transmitted—; and

[0278] In response to a determination that one or more requirements within the above gaming session have been met, by automatically sending an invitation to participate in the first user's gaming session.

[0279] A system configured to transmit the above invitation.

[0280] 23. In a non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, when said instructions are executed by a processor,

[0281] Sending an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of the first user;

[0282] Receiving acceptance of the invitation from a second user through a second computing device;

[0283] Determining that the above gaming session has started - the above gaming session includes a video game being played by the first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user's first character is participating without the character of another user - ;

[0284] Determining whether the current point corresponds to an insertion point in the gaming session for the above video game;

[0285] In response to the determination that the current point corresponds to the insertion point in the gaming session for the video game,

[0286] (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode to change the gaming session for the video game from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server - the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game - ;

[0287] Determining whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to an end trigger point; and

[0288] In response to the determination that the current point in the above modified gaming session corresponds to the above termination trigger point,

[0289] Removing the second user from the modified gaming session; and

[0290] Making the modified gaming session for the above video game change back from the multiplayer mode to the single player mode.

[0291] Non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, which causes a set of operations including to be executed.

[0292] 24. A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, wherein, in item 23, transmitting the invitation includes transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account.

[0293] 25. A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, wherein the invitation is sent to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job.

[0294] 26. A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, wherein, in item 23, the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the set of operations further comprises preventing the first user from being notified that the invitation has been transmitted.

[0295] 27. A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, wherein, in item 23, the insertion point includes the start of the gaming session for the video game, and determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining whether the first user has started the video game.

[0296] 28. A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, wherein, in item 23, the insertion point includes a cutscene of the video game, and determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining that the first character of the first user playing the video game has reached a checkpoint of the video game that initiates the cutscene.

[0297] 29. A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, wherein the termination trigger point in item 23 comprises at least one of (a) the death of the first character of the first user in the video game, (b) the death of the second character of the second user in the video game, (c) the death of the boss in the video game, (d) the completion of a level in the video game, (e) the completion of a mission in the video game, and (f) the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play of the video game.

[0298] 30. In item 23, the invitation is sent by a third user, and the invitation includes a request to remove the first user's first character in the video game, and the set of operations also,

[0299] A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, further comprising sending a notification to the second user indicating that the first user has started a gaming session of the video game.

[0300] 31. In item 30, the notification is a first notification, and the termination trigger point includes (a) removal of the first character of the first user in the video game or (b) removal of the second character of the second user in the video game, and the set of actions is,

[0301] A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, further comprising sending a second notification to the third user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point, wherein the second notification indicates whether the first character of the first user has been removed.

[0302] 32. In item 23, the set of operations also,

[0303] A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, further comprising paying a reward to the second user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end point.

[0304] 33. In item 23, transmitting the above invitation also,

[0305] Based on the first setting of the first user, by determining that the first user has activated a waiting request—the waiting request includes one or more requirements within the gaming session that must be satisfied for a request to participate in the gaming session to be automatically transmitted—; and

[0306] A non-transient computer-readable memory in which instructions are stored, further comprising automatically sending an invitation to participate in the first user's gaming session in response to a determination that one or more requirements within the gaming session have been met.

[0307] 34. In the system,

[0308] Means for transmitting an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of a first user;

[0309] Means for receiving acceptance of the invitation from a second user through a second computing device;

[0310] Means for determining that the above gaming session has started - the above gaming session includes a video game being played by the first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user's first character is participating without the character of another user - ;

[0311] Means for determining whether the current point corresponds to an insertion point in the gaming session for the above video game;

[0312] In response to the determination that the current point corresponds to the insertion point in the gaming session for the video game,

[0313] (1) means for modifying the gaming session for the video game by instantiating a multiplayer mode so that the gaming session for the video game changes from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) means for modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server - the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game - ;

[0314] Means for determining whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to an end trigger point; and

[0315] In response to the determination that the current point in the above modified gaming session corresponds to the above termination trigger point,

[0316] Remove the second user from the modified gaming session;

[0317] Means for causing the modified gaming session for the above video game to change back from the multiplayer mode to the single player mode.

[0318] A system including

[0319] 35. A system according to item 34, wherein the means for transmitting the invitation includes means for transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account.

[0320] 36. A system according to item 34, wherein the invitation is sent to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job.

[0321] 37. In item 34, the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the system further comprises means for preventing the first user from being notified that the invitation has been transmitted.

[0322] 38. A system according to item 34, wherein the insertion point includes the start of the gaming session for the video game, and the means for determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes the means for determining whether the first user has started the video game.

[0323] 39. A system according to item 34, wherein the insertion point includes a cutscene of the video game, and the means for determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes the means for determining that the first character of the first user playing the video game has reached a checkpoint of the video game that initiates the cutscene.

[0324] 40. A system according to item 34, wherein the termination trigger point comprises at least one of (a) the death of the first character of the first user in the video game, (b) the death of the second character of the second user in the video game, (c) the death of the boss in the video game, (d) the completion of a level in the video game, (e) the completion of a mission in the video game, and (f) the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play in the video game.

[0325] 41. In item 34, the invitation is transmitted by a third user, and the invitation includes a request to remove the first user's first character in the video game, and the system,

[0326] A system further comprising means for transmitting to the second user a notification indicating that the first user has started a gaming session of the video game.

[0327] 42. In item 41, the notification is a first notification, and the termination trigger point includes (a) removal of the first character of the first user in the video game or (b) removal of the second character of the second user in the video game, and the system,

[0328] A system further comprising means for transmitting a second warning to the third user in response to a determination that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point, wherein the second notification indicates whether the first character of the first user has been removed.

[0329] 43. In Item 34,

[0330] A system further comprising means for paying a reward to the second user in response to a determination that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end point.

[0331] 44. In item 34, the means for transmitting the invitation is,

[0332] Means for determining that the first user has activated a waiting request based on the first setting of the first user, wherein the waiting request comprises one or more requirements within the gaming session that must be satisfied for a request to participate in the gaming session to be automatically transmitted - and

[0333] A system further comprising means for automatically sending an invitation to participate in the first user's gaming session in response to a determination that one or more requirements within the gaming session have been satisfied.

[0334] 45. In a computer-implemented method,

[0335] A step of sending an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of the first user;

[0336] A step of receiving acceptance of the invitation from a second user through a second computing device;

[0337] A step of determining that the above gaming session has started - the above gaming session includes a video game being played by the first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user's first character is participating without the character of another user - ;

[0338] In the gaming session for the video game, a step of determining whether the current point corresponds to an insertion point;

[0339] In response to the determination that the current point corresponds to the insertion point in the gaming session for the video game,

[0340] (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode so that the gaming session for the video game changes from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server - the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game - ;

[0341] A step of determining whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to a termination trigger point; and

[0342] In response to the determination that the current point in the above modified gaming session corresponds to the above termination trigger point,

[0343] The step of removing the second user from the modified gaming session; and

[0344] A step of changing the modified gaming session for the video game from the multiplayer mode back to the single player mode.

[0345] A computer-implemented method including

[0346] 46. ​​A computer-implemented method according to item 45, wherein the step of transmitting the invitation includes transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account.

[0347] 47. A computer-implemented method according to item 45 or 46, wherein the invitation is sent to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job.

[0348] 48. A computer-implemented method, wherein in any one of items 45 through 47, the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the method further comprises the step of preventing the first user from being notified that the invitation has been transmitted.

[0349] 49. A computer-implemented method, wherein in any one of items 45 through 48, the insertion point includes the start of the gaming session for the video game, and the step of determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining whether the first user has started the video game.

[0350] 50. A computer-implemented method, wherein in any one of items 45 through 49, the insertion point includes a cutscene of the video game, and the step of determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining that the first character of the first user playing the video game has reached a checkpoint of the video game that initiates the cutscene.

[0351] 51. A computer-implemented method, wherein in any one of items 45 to 50, the termination trigger point comprises at least one of (a) the death of the first character of the first user in the video game, (b) the death of the second character of the second user in the video game, (c) the death of the boss in the video game, (d) the completion of a level in the video game, (e) the completion of a mission in the video game, and (f) the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play in the video game.

[0352] 52. In any one of items 45 through 51, the invitation is transmitted by a third user, and the invitation includes a request to remove the first user's first character in the video game, and the method is

[0353] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of sending a notification to the second user indicating that the first user has started a gaming session of the video game.

[0354] 53. In item 52, the notification is a first notification, and the termination trigger point includes (a) removal of the first character of the first user in the video game or (b) removal of the second character of the second user in the video game, and the method is,

[0355] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of sending a second notification to the third user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point, wherein the second notification indicates whether the first character of the first user has been removed.

[0356] 54. In any one of items 45 through 53

[0357] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of paying a reward to the second user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end point.

[0358] 55. In any one of items 45 through 54, the step of transmitting the invitation is,

[0359] A step of determining that the first user has activated a waiting request based on the first setting of the first user—the waiting request includes one or more requirements within the gaming session that must be satisfied for a request to participate in the gaming session to be automatically transmitted—; and

[0360] A computer-implemented method further comprising the step of automatically sending an invitation to participate in the first user’s gaming session in response to a determination that one or more requirements within the gaming session have been satisfied.

Claims

Claim 1 A method implemented by a computer, comprising: transmitting an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of a first user; receiving acceptance of said invitation from a second user through a second computing device; determining that said gaming session has started—said that said gaming session includes a video game being played by said first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which said first user's first character is participating without other users' characters—; determining whether a current point in said gaming session for said video game corresponds to an insertion point; and in response to determining that said current point in said gaming session for said video game corresponds to the insertion point, (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode to change the gaming session for the video game from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server - the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game -; determining whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to an end trigger point; and in response to the determination that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end trigger point, The step of removing the second user from the modified gaming session; and A computer-implemented method comprising the step of changing the modified gaming session for the video game from the multiplayer mode back to the single player mode. Claim 2 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the invitation includes transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account. Claim 3 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the invitation is sent to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job. Claim 4 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the method further comprises the step of preventing the first user from being alerted that the invitation has been transmitted. Claim 5 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the insertion point includes the start of the gaming session for the video game, and the step of determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining that the first user has started the video game. Claim 6 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the insertion point includes a cutscene of the video game, and the step of determining whether the current point in the gaming session corresponds to the insertion point of the gaming session includes determining that the first character of the first user playing the video game has reached a checkpoint of the video game that initiates the cutscene. Claim 7 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the termination trigger point comprises at least one of (a) the death of the first character of the first user in the video game, (b) the death of the second character of the second user in the video game, (c) the death of the boss in the video game, (d) the completion of a level in the video game, (e) the completion of a mission in the video game, and (f) the elapsed of a predetermined duration of play in the video game. Claim 8 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the invitation is transmitted by a third user, and the invitation includes a request to remove the first user's first character in the video game, and the method further comprises the step of transmitting a notification to the second user indicating that the first user has started a gaming session of the video game. Claim 9 A computer-implemented method according to claim 8, wherein the notification is a first notification, and the termination trigger point comprises (a) removal of the first character of the first user in the video game or (b) removal of the second character of the second user in the video game, and the method further comprises the step of transmitting a second notification to the third user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point, wherein the second notification indicates whether the first character of the first user has been removed. Claim 10 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of paying a reward to the second user in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the termination trigger point. Claim 11 A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the invitation further comprises: determining, based on a first setting of the first user, that the first user has activated a waiting request—the waiting request includes one or more requirements within the gaming session that must be satisfied for an invitation to participate in the gaming session to be automatically transmitted—; and, in response to the determination that one or more requirements within the gaming session have been satisfied, automatically transmitting an invitation to participate in the first user's gaming session. Claim 12 A system comprises an input / output circuit—the input / output circuit is configured to transmit an invitation to participate in a future or current gaming session of a first user; and to receive acceptance of said invitation from a second user via a second computing device—; and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit determines that said gaming session has started—the gaming session includes a video game being played by the first user on a first computing device in a single-player mode in which the first user's first character is participating without the character of another user—; to determine whether a current point in said gaming session for said video game corresponds to an insertion point; and in response to determining that the current point in said gaming session for said video game corresponds to the insertion point, (1) instantiating a multiplayer mode to change the gaming session for the video game from a single-player mode to a multiplayer mode, and (2) modifying the gaming session by connecting the first computing device to a multiplayer video game server, wherein the multiplayer video game server enables the second user to control a second character of the modified gaming session, and the modified gaming session includes each of the first character of the first user and the second character of the second user participating in the video game; determining whether the current point of the modified gaming session for the video game corresponds to an end-trigger point; and in response to determining that the current point in the modified gaming session corresponds to the end-trigger point, To remove the second user from the modified gaming session; and A system configured such that the modified gaming session for the above video game changes from the multiplayer mode back to the single player mode. Claim 13 In paragraph 12, the system is configured such that the input / output circuit also transmits the invitation by transmitting the invitation to the first user through a corresponding social media account. Claim 14 A system according to claim 12, wherein the input / output circuit is also configured to be transmitted to a set of users of the video game including at least one of (a) a friend of the first user, (b) a user currently playing the video game, (c) a user having a skill level higher than a threshold level in the video game, and (d) a user of the video game having a character having a predetermined job. Claim 15 A system according to claim 12, wherein the invitation is transmitted by a third user through a third computing device, and the control circuit is also configured to prevent the first user from being notified that the invitation has been transmitted.

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