Systems and methods for enabling audience participation in multi-player video game play sessions

US10596471B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Activision Publishing, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Josiah Eatedali · Los Angeles, US
• Jon Estanislao · South Pasadena, US
• Etienne Pouliot · Keyano, CA
• Dave Bergeron · Quebec City, CA
• Maxime Babin · Quebec City, CA
• Mario Beckman Notaro · Keyano, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 3, 2018
• Grant date: Mar 24, 2020
• Expiry date: Aug 3, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A63F2300/577
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

The present specification describes systems and methods that enable non-players to participate as spectators in online video games and, through a collective voting mechanism, determine the occurrence of certain events or contents of the gameplay in real time. Game event options are generated and presented to non-players. A specific one of the game event options is then selected based on a collective vote of the non-players. Once selected, the specific one or more of the game event options are then generated as actual gaming events and incorporated into a video game stream that is transmitted to the players as part of the gameplay session. In this manner, non-players may be able to directly affect the course of gameplay.