Patent ID: 8496519

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including: at least one display device, at least one input device, at least one processor, and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to: (a) enable a player to wager on a play of a primary game, (b) generate and display a primary game symbol from a plurality of primary game symbols in each of a plurality of primary game symbol positions, and (c) display and provide any primary game award for any generated winning combination of said primary game symbols; and a controller programmed to operate with the plurality of gaming devices to: (i) generate and cause a display of at least one communal game symbol from a plurality of communal game symbols for a play of a communal game, wherein said generation and display of the at least one communal game symbol occurs: (A) regardless of any placement of any wagers on any plays of any primary games of any of the gaming devices, and (B) regardless of any plays of any primary games of any of the gaming devices, (ii) determine whether a bonus event is triggered, wherein said determination is based on the at least one generated communal game symbol, (iii) if the bonus event is triggered: (A) determine a bonus event eligibility for each of the plurality of gaming devices and (B) cause each eligible gaming device to display and provide a bonus award, and (iv) if the bonus event is not triggered, repeat (i) to (iv) at least once.