A method of launching a game application includes: providing a game application launch object to an operating system, providing data specifying a plurality of modes of operation for the game application in association with the game application launch object, providing a user interface in which at least a subset of the plurality of modes of operation are presented to a user when that user performs a predetermined interaction with the game application launch object, receiving a user selection indicating a selected mode of operation, and launching the game application into a playable game state that is dependent upon the selected mode of operation.

Embodiments of the invention provide a unique interactive game that connects both physical and virtual play environments and includes multiple dynamic layers in which a participant may complete a variety of challenges and/or tasks. For example, the participant may obtain a physical gaming item such as a toy from a retail phase that is usable in an interactive entertainment phase that provides virtual play via computer animation. The interactive entertainment phase may include multiple interrelated layers such that progress in one or more layers may affect the participant's experience in one or more other layers. The participant may also receive training on how to use and improve the physical gaming item to help achieve one or more special effects or complete one or more adventures and/or quests. During or following the interactive entertainment phase, the participant may use accumulated points and/or powers to redeem prizes and/or compete against other participants, such as in a duel or other face-off challenge.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for altering perception of virtual or game content in a virtual space based on one or more attribute levels. The perception of some virtual or game content may not be altered. Thus, the depiction of some content is altered while other content is not. A system may alter the depiction of game content based on attributes of an entity and/or based on which entity is to perceive the game content. The different depictions of game content may be provided to the same entity at different times and/or different perceptions of game content may be provided to different entities. Thus, a rich interface may be provided that differentially depicts game content based on attribute levels and/or the entity that is to perceive the game content.

An approach to facilitate providing an event space associated with a primary virtual space is provided. An event space is provided to users of a primary virtual space, wherein the event space comprises one or more event objectives. Users of the primary virtual space having primary user accounts have associated event space accounts indicating event user parameters, event game parameters, and event inventory information for the first user. The user may be provided with event virtual items for purchase wherein the event virtual items are used in the event space during the event period. In response to a determination of the progress of the user associated with one or more event objectives an event award is determined for distribution to the user, wherein the event award may be used within the primary virtual space.

Techniques are disclosed for unlocking in-game content for a video game application. In one embodiment, the video game application may be operated by a user that is concurrently viewing media content. The video game application captures an audio signal from the concurrently-playing media content, performs content recognition on the captured audio signal, and determines whether to unlock one or more portions of in-game content based on the identified media content.

A game control method, game server, and program can increase variations on methods for acquiring items, increase the predictability of acquisition of an item with a high rarity value or the like, and heighten interest in the game. Included are the steps of presenting a communication terminal, connected over a communication line, with acquirable item information that, for each item type, includes a total count and an acquisition count or a non-acquisition count of items when receiving, from the communication terminal, a request to present information related to items acquirable by the communication terminal, determining an item to provide to the communication terminal when receiving an item acquisition request from the communication terminal, and changing the acquirable item information when receiving a reset request from the communication terminal.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to rewarding users of an electronic game for real-world physical activity. Further aspects relate to altering virtual items based upon physical activity. An electronic game may comprise or otherwise relate to an online world (such as a Virtual World). Users may be represented through customized graphical representations, such as avatars. An account of a user (or entity) may be associated a virtual region. A threshold level of real-world physical activity may result in obtaining a reward that may be associated with a virtual item. A reward may be configured to result in: (1) altering visual appearance of a virtual item within a virtual region; (2) altering a virtual characteristic of a virtual item, such that the first user may engage in at least one additional virtual activity using that virtual item; and/or (3) acquiring a new virtual item for a virtual region.

A method for controlling a computer and the like that cause players to effectively use possessed game contents in a game and increase the attractiveness of the game. The computer includes a storage unit that stores one or more game contents possessed by a player and a game content group, the one or more game contents each having a parameter value, the game content group being composed by using at least one of the one or more game contents, and makes a game proceed based on an instruction from a player. The method includes the steps of modifying the parameter value of a common game content in the game content group possessed by the player and being the same type as the one or more game contents other than the game content group, and processing an event by using the game content group whose parameter value is modified.

The present disclosure provides a method of controlling a probability of a probability-based item provision system, which includes measuring an amount of use of an item provision system during a first time interval, comparing the measurement result with a first threshold, and changing the probability of the item provision system within a predetermined range during a second time interval after the first time interval, based on a result of the comparing.

A system and method for facilitating implementation of events in an online game are disclosed. Award information may be received from user. The received award information may define a type of in-game award to be distributed to players of the online game. The award information may include information indicate a corresponding award handler for determine and/or distributing the instances of the award to the players. Event information may be received from user. The received event information may specify details for implementing an event in the online game. The received event information may include event award information indicating one or more instances of an award of an award type defined by the received award information. The event information may be used to automatically implement the event in the online game, and the instances of the award may be distributed to the participating players in accordance with the event award information.