Patent ID: 8840475

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a request by a hosting service center from a remote user to join a multiplayer interactive twitch video game already in progress, wherein the multiplayer interactive twitch video game running on a first server of the hosting service center and being played remotely by other players via first compressed streaming interactive video, wherein the remote user interacting with a user interface application running on a second server of the hosting service center via second compressed streaming interactive video to select the multiplayer interactive twitch video game to join, wherein the first compressed streaming interactive video and the second compressed streaming interactive video being transmitted over the Internet from the hosting service center; determining whether the remote user may join the multiplayer interactive twitch video game based on a set of criteria that includes a latency of a communication channel associated with the remote user; upon determining that the set of criteria is met, instructing an inbound routing network to transfer control signals received from the remote user to the first server hosting the multiplayer interactive twitch video game; and synchronizing compression of the first compressed streaming interactive video associated with the multiplayer interactive twitch video game as between the remote user and the other players, wherein the first compressed streaming interactive video being compressed with a worst-case, round-trip latency of 90 ms, from control input of the remote user to display of a response to the control input on a client device of the remote user, over a transmission distance up to and including 1500 miles from the hosting service center to the client device of the remote user.