Patent ID: 8360866

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a processor, and a memory in communication with the processor, in which the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to perform a process comprising: running a massive multi player online game that is operable to simultaneously support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices, in which each of the players controls one or more respective player characters; in which the players are able to interact with each other in the game; determining that a first player character in the game has a particular status in the game by determining that a first player character has filed more than a predetermined number of times to achieve an objective in the game; searching a database of entries for an entry that specifies the particular status of the first player character, in which each entry specifies: a respective offer, a respective status of a player character in the game, a respective virtual item, a respective price to pay for the virtual item, and a respective second player to pay for the virtual item; locating an entry in the database that specifies the particular status of the first player character; providing, to a player corresponding to the first player character, the offer that is specified by the located entry; receiving, from the player corresponding to the first player character, an acceptance of the provided offer; providing, to the player corresponding to the first player character, the virtual item that is specified by the located entry; and charging the player corresponding to the first player character for the price that is specified by the located entry.