A game control method, a game server, and a game system with which a user can efficiently increase the number of friends in a game with a friend-up function are provided. When a friend candidate list image 230 of a recommended friend search screen 23 is generated in response to a request from an information processor 1 connected to a game server 10 over a communication line, the game server 10 generates a list of friend candidates with reference to a friend seeking flag. The friend seeking flag is stored in association with a user ID by which each user is identified, and indicates whether the user corresponding to the user ID is seeking friends.

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.

Targeted recommendations may be provided to specific user segments. The users may be segmented on or more user parameters that facilitate targeted provision of recommendations to the individual segments of users. A recommendation may prompt a user to take a recommended action in the game.

A system, method, and computer program product for collaborative online gaming, including at least one of providing a central repository master browser system; providing an experience calibrated match-making service; providing a dynamic multiplayer server component auto deployment and aggregation system; providing a lobby centric simultaneous and collaborative client game play launching feature; and providing a video game screen over-layer technology giving users access to a control interface while inside a video game being played.

Disclosed is a method for providing an in-game messenger service comprising: storing a game program in a platform server; associating an in-game messenger program for the game program; and transmitting the in-game messenger program associated with the game program to a user terminal as the game program is transmitted from the platform server to the user terminal.

The present invention is a system and method for providing an online game implemented by means of a computer system. The method includes the step of storing a plurality of images in at least one computing device. The method then includes the step of obtaining content data from the plurality of images stored in the computing device through a content extraction module. The method includes the step of facilitating the users to initiate a challenge for each other to create a game session over a game networking system through a challenge creation module. The game session includes a friend game session and a date game session. The method includes the step of initiating the game session created by the challenge creation module over the game networking system through a gaming module.

A method of changing a virtual world of a computer-implemented game based on real-world locations of players of the computer-implemented game is disclosed. A presence of a player of the computer-implemented game is detected at a physical location. A presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game is detected at the physical location based on a communication received from the player of the computer-implemented game. An aspect of the virtual world of the computer-implemented game is changed based on the detecting of the presence of the player at the physical location and the detecting of the presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location.

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 system and method for facilitating user voting for potential future game content in an online game are disclosed. Multiple sets of the potential future game content may be presented to users for voting. A user vote for a given set of the potential future game content may cost an amount of voting power associated with the user. The user may earn voting power by engaging in gameplays, making in-game purchases, and/or undertaking any other game-related actions desired by the provider(s) of the online game. A set of potential future game content may be selected based on votes received from the users. In some examples, rewards may be determined for distribution to the users based on the voting for the potential future game content.

A system that collects, analyzes, and applies physical metrics from participants in game environments. Participants (players and/or spectators) in a game may wear or hold devices that collect physical data from the participants via sensors, generate metrics data from the sensor data, and provide the metrics data to a participant metrics module. The module may receive the metrics data from the devices, analyze the metrics data to generate game inputs based on the participants' physical metrics, and provide the game inputs to the game system to affect game play. The module may also receive alerts or other information from the game system or from players, determine feedback for participants according to the received information, and signal the devices to provide feedback or alerts to the participants in the game. The devices may include indicators that are activated by the signals to provide visual, audio, and/or haptic indications to respective participants.