Patent ID: 8485897

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing branded virtual objects in a virtual environment, the method comprising: causing a graphical user interface to be provided to an advertising entity via an advertising campaign device, the advertising entity being associated with a real-world company; receiving via the graphical user interface, a selection of a game from a plurality of multiplayer online games identified in the graphical user interface; a selection of a category from a plurality of categories of virtual objects that are related to the selected game, the plurality of categories being identified in the graphical user interface; and a plurality of parameters that define an advertising campaign in the selected game; receiving from the advertising campaign device a branded virtual object associated with the selected game and the selected category; receiving a request from the advertising campaign device to present the branded virtual object to a player of the selected game; and during rendering of the selected game, receiving a request from a player device, the request being from the player to locate a virtual object of the selected category in a virtual environment of the player in the selected game; presenting the player with an option, via the player device, to select the branded virtual object for placement in the virtual environment; responsive to the player selecting the branded virtual object, inserting the branded virtual object in the virtual environment at a placement position in the virtual environment selected by the player; and updating a selection count associated with the branded virtual object.