Patent ID: 8414372

Claim:
A gaming machine for a casino, comprising: a housing; a display unit including a display screen coupled to the housing; a value input device coupled to the housing; an input device operable to receive a player input selection coupled to the housing; a controller, including a first microprocessor, located within an interior of the housing configured to: 1) locally control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine, 2) locally control a display of first video images on the display unit including first video images associated with a play of the wager-based game, 3) locally determine a game outcome for the wager-based game, and 4) display a companion window configured to allow a player to link to a second player on a second gaming machine, said companion window configured to display game images from the second gaming machine as the game images appear on a display screen of the second gaming machine such that the player can view the second player's gaming experience in real-time as the second player plays on the second gaming machine; and a connection to a network server, the network server including a second microprocessor, in communication with the controller, the network server configured to allow linking between the gaming machine and the second gaming machine; wherein the gaming machine is configured to allow a mutual concurrent display of the first video images locally controlled by the controller and the game images from the second gaming machine in said companion window remotely controlled by the network server on the display screen; and wherein the network server is configured to remotely control an interface on the display screen for sharing the second player's gaming experience.