Patent ID: 7618320

Claim:
A network game system, comprising: a plurality of game servers, each storing a plurality of game application programs; a plurality of game terminal devices, each connected to one of the plurality of game servers via a network and configured to execute at least one of the plurality of game application programs; and an authentication server connected to the plurality of game terminal devices and the plurality of game servers, the authentication server configured to control whether a connection between one of the plurality of game terminal devices and at least one of the plurality of game servers is permitted, wherein the at least one of the plurality of game servers sends play information to the authentication server, the play information including information regarding an execution status of the at least one of the plurality of game application programs executed by the one of the plurality of game terminal devices, the authentication server stores the play information and, in accordance with the play information, determines whether the connection between the one of the plurality of game terminal devices and the at least one of the plurality of game servers is permitted.