Patent ID: 8241116

Claim:
A processor-implemented method for testing a new feature of an online gaming application, comprising: receiving a gaming application request from a user; determining whether to add the user to a live test for a new game feature; if the user is added to the live test, then assigning the user to a test group or a control group; if the user is assigned to the test group, then, providing a gaming application including the new game feature enabled, obtaining user social graph data identifying co-users of the user, evaluating gaming activity and social network activity of the user, determining whether additional test group subjects are needed, and if so, then choosing the additional test group subjects from among the co-users of the user; if the user is assigned to the control group, then, providing the gaming application without the new game feature enabled, obtaining user social graph data identifying co-users of the user, evaluating gaming activity and social network activity of the user, determining whether additional control group subjects are needed, and if so, then choosing the additional control group subjects from among the co-users of the user.