Patent ID: 9199173
Filing Date: 2015-12-01
Classification: A63F,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method for collaborative online gaming, comprising: identifying a plurality of game servers, at least some of which are configured to allow connections from devices operated by new players and at least some of which are configured to allow a new player to join an ongoing game instance, wherein a game instance is an instantiation of a game program executed by a game server and is an ongoing game instance if at least one player is playing, or initiating play, in that game instance; gathering data relevant to one or more of said players, wherein said data comprises a player rating for each player for at least one game instance and at least two players currently using that game instance, and a consolidated rating for that game instance based on the player ratings for rated players currently playing that game instance; injecting the gathered data into a database cloud for storing persistent state data for one or more players and game servers; identifying a new player rating of a prospective new player; defining a plurality of matchmaking categories associated with the prospective new player, wherein each matchmaking category is associated with a range of player ratings determined based, at least in part, on the new player rating; matching the prospective new player with one or more game instance executed by one or more of the plurality of game servers, wherein the matching is based on a comparison of the new player rating and the consolidated ratings of the one or more game instances; and for individual matched game instances, assigning the matched game instance to a matchmaking category of the plurality of matchmaking categories associated with the prospective new player, wherein the matchmaking categories are assigned based, at least in part, on a comparison between the consolidated ratings of individual game instances and the ranges of player ratings associated with individual matchmaking categories.