Methods for hosting low-latency streaming interactive audio/video (A/V) include executing one or more video games or applications on a server communicatively coupled to a data network. Packet streams are received from a plurality of users and routed to the one or more video games. The packet streams include user control input that are used to compute A/V data in response. The A/V data are received from the video games or applications. Portions of the A/V data are compressed in parallel using processing units resulting in low-latency streaming compressed A/V data. The low-latency streaming compressed A/V data are routed to each of the users over a corresponding data network communication channel. The executing of video games, receiving of packet streams and A/V data, compressing portions of the A/V data and routing the compressed A/V data are performed with a latency such that at least one user has the perception that the controlled video game is responding instantly.

The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for interactive cloud gaming. In one aspect, an interface device with processors and memory storing an application program is used for cloud gaming. The interface device includes a communication module for receiving and/or transmitting messages and media streams between the interface device, a game controller, and a remote gaming server. The interface device further includes an output module configured to provide output of the application to an input of a display device coupled to or integrated with the interface device. The application is configured to implement a first mode in which the interface device processes and displays outputs associated with substantially all messages transmitted by the game controller, and a second mode in which the interface device processes and displays a predefined subset of messages from the game controller and displays gaming media streams from the gaming server.

An apparatus includes one or more servers of a hosting service center operable to execute a twitch video game or real-time application for one or more users remotely located from the hosting service center. The execution of the twitch video game or real-time application on the one or more servers produces uncompressed video of 3D animation. The one or more servers are operable to integrate live video with the twitch video game or real-time application such that the live video appears within the uncompressed video of 3D animation. The live video is received at a hosting service center from one or more client devices correspondingly associated with the one or more users. The uncompressed video 3D animation is generated, at least partially, using data streamed from a high-speed storage unit of the hosting service center coupled to the one or more servers. The high-speed storage unit is configured to load geometry for efficient loading and rendering of objects of the 3D animations. A compression unit compresses the uncompressed video 3D animation integrated with the live video, and compressed streaming interactive video being produced therefrom. An outbound routing network device coupled to the compression unit that transmits the compressed streaming interactive video over a packetized network to the one or more users.

A system for allowing a user to remotely access a game includes: a game console; a remote console client configured to receive a game control signal; and a remote console server. The remote console server includes an audio and video encoder configured to receive an audio output and a video output from the game console and to convert the audio output and the video output to a network packet. The remote console server also includes: a game controller emulation unit and a network interface configured to send and receive the network packet. The game controller emulation unit is configured to receive a game controller signal from the game console and to send the game controller signal to the remote console client and to receive a game controller input from the remote console client and send the game controller input to the game console.

A wireless input device for playing an interactive motion-sensitive game using a wireless-compatible game console in which a virtual play environment is represented through one or more computer-animated visual, aural or tactile effects is provided wherein game play is conducted by moving, shaking, twisting, waving or pointing the input device in a particular manner. The input device can include motion-sensitive circuitry and/or command circuitry for generating control signals and/or an effects generator and associated control circuitry to enable the input device to selectively generate at least one visual, aural or tactile effect comprising sound, lighting or vibration. The input device can include a wireless transceiver for providing two-way wireless communication with the wireless-compatible game console. An optional display screen displays short text messages received through wireless communications with the wireless-compatible game console.

A computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes running a game application on one or more servers of a hosting service center. The game application is for a game and wherein the game application is played by a first user of a first client device remote to the hosting service center via compressed streaming interactive video transmitted over the Internet. The method includes storing a recording of the game played by the first user. The method includes storing application state information for the recording of the game played by the first user. The method includes using the application state information, by a second user, to generate one or more additional views of the recording of the game played by the first user. The one or more additional views include generation of video using the application state information, and the generated video is different than video of the recording.

A system and method are described for managing the state of an online video game. A method includes initiating a new online video game in response to user input from a client device, the online video game being in a first state on a first server when initiated; executing the online video game on the server, thereby causing the online video game to enter a second state; pausing or terminating the online video game; determining differences between the first state and the second state and generating difference data containing the differences; transmitting the difference data over a network to a second server; and recreating the second state from the difference data and the first state in response to user input indicating that the user wishes to resume the online video game and in response to the second server being selected as the server on which to execute the video game.

A method for remote-hosted video effects includes rendering an application frame buffer in a hosting service that is streaming interactive video. Only a portion of the application frame buffer is subsequently displayed on a local device.

A system and method are described for an online game service. One method includes receiving a request from a client device interacting with a game application. The request is received by a server of the online game service. Then, receiving a control signal from the client device in response to an input made when interacting with the game application. The control signal is transmitted over a communication channel between the client device and the server. Executing a game associated with the game application by the server to generate a video stream comprising a sequence of images. Compressing the sequence of images of the application in accordance with a compression process to generate a compressed sequence of images using a compression resource used by said server and at least one other server of said online game service. The compression resource includes compression hardware or hardware running software that handles the compression of sequences of images for each of the servers executing games for the online game service. A state of each compressing operation processed for each of the servers is stored to enable the compression resource to take input from at least two of the servers and switch context of taking said input from among the two or more servers as the compression resource cycles taking input from among said respective two or more servers. And, sending respective compressed sequences of images to the client device or other client devices using the online game service via outbound routing that processes output of said compression resource.

A system and method are described below for encoding interactive video used in video games streamed from a server to a client. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method for performing video compression, and detecting a maximum data rate of a communication channel between a server and a client. The method includes transmitting a video stream comprising a series of compressed frames from the server to the client. The method includes detecting that the maximum data rate will be exceeded if a particular frame or frames of the sequence of frames are transmitted from the server to the client over the communication channel. The method includes reducing the frame rate of the video stream by adjusting compression of the video frames being sent from the server to the client to avoid exceeding the maximum data rate.