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.

Acquiring an interactive digital content item including a plurality of content portions includes receiving a first set of the content portions that is less than an entirety of the content portions. A partial functionality version of the interactive digital content item is presented using the first set of content portions. A second set of the content portions is received while the partial functionality version of the interactive digital content item is presented. Functionality is added to the partial functionality version of the interactive digital content item using the second set of content portions without interrupting presentation of the partial functionality version of the interactive digital content item.

Embodiments of the invention broadly contemplate a location based rewards distribution system. Various embodiments of the invention provide rewards, for example video game unlock codes, based on a user physically visiting a specific physical location.

An item can be provided to a user by a lottery and the item odds can be changed in accordance with a prescribed condition. A control method, performed by a server device connected via a communication line to a terminal device operated by a user, can be initiated by selecting a lottery mode from among a plurality of lottery modes. Following the selection of the lottery mode, the system may hold a drawing from among a plurality of types of items on the basis of the selected lottery mode, and, following the holding of the drawing, may ensure that the won item is provided to the user via the terminal device.

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 and system tracks, analyzes or sorts behaviors of user or players across a network to draw correlations from, or characterizations of, those user or players and identifies similarly characterized or mutually complementary user or players. For example, the method automatically obtains player data regarding interactions by each of multiple players with a multiplayer electronic game via each player's corresponding data processing device connected via the network. The method can then sort, classify or suggest additional activities, games, groups, or other different activities or actions for the players.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for providing an interactive application, such as a video game, with a hierarchy of tiers and a hierarchy of game items. Higher tiers may correspond to better game items, and lower tiers may correspond to worse game items. Game rewards awarded to a user for using a particular item may be inversely related to the corresponding tier level of the particular item. Game rewards may comprise experience points, credits, levels, or the like. New users of the interactive application may be provided access to a tier above the lowest tier of the hierarchy and thereby able to access better game items than those corresponding to the lowest tier. A prestige tier may be established requiring a quantity of game rewards for access, and users may thereby be able to access the prestige tier faster by using lower, and potentially more difficult, tiers.

A video game includes a peripheral device that senses the presence and identity of toys near or on the peripheral. Each of the toys includes an identification device such as an RFID tag. Each of the toys is also associated with a corresponding game character or object. A toy stores information about the status of the corresponding character or object in the game, for example, a character name, a score, and an owner of the toy may be stored in a character toy. The information about the toy is updated during game play. The toys may be sensed, read, and written concurrently.

An approach to facilitating event-based currency is provided. A first virtual currency usable by users of a game space to purchase in-space benefits may be managed. An event in the game space that is conducted during an event time period may be managed such that, during the event time period, an event virtual currency may be distributed to one or more of the users as a reward for certain operations and/or achievements performed in the game space during the event time period. Exchanges of in-space benefits associated with the event virtual currency may be effectuated for one or more of the users. In some implementations, the event virtual currency may not available to the users after the event time period, while the first virtual currency may be available to the users during and after the event time period.