Method and system for prize contests in a game

Abstract

A method and system is provided for operating prize-contest in a gaming space. In a virtual space associated with an online game having a plurality of participants, a prize-contest operation is conducted to promote a prize contest to the participants of the online game. At the completion of the prize-contest, information associated with the participants is updated based on the outcome of the prize-contest.

1 . A method for a game operator, comprising:
 operating a virtual space associated with an online game having a plurality of participants;   enabling a prize-contest operation that promotes a prize-contest to the plurality of participants;   receiving a signal indicating a status of the prize-contest;   updating information associated with one or more participants based on the signal and the outcome of the prize contest.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual space is a gaming environment. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual space is a chat room associated with the online game. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of participants are online game players. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of participants are participants of an online chat room associated with the online game. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enabling comprises:
 invoking the prize-contest operation;   handing at least some control for operating the virtual space to the prize-contest operation; and   resuming the at least some control for operating the virtual space upon receiving a notification from the prize-contest operation indicating a completion of the prize-contest operation.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least some control includes control to access information associated with the plurality of participants. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enabling comprises:
 authorizing the prize-contest operation to be performed in the virtual space; and   granting a permission for the prize-contest operation to access information associated with the plurality of participants.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the information associated with each of the plurality of participants includes at least one of:
 a profile of the participant;   a game inventory of the participant;   a gaming history of the participant; and   a chat history of the participant.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the prize-contest operation comprises:
 promoting, within the virtual space, the plurality of participants to enter into a contest for a prize;   conducting the contest among one or more participants who enter the contest;   selecting at least one winner from the one or more participants;   awarding a prize in connection with the contest to the at least one winner.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the entrance to the contest is permitted upon receiving entrance fee submitted in the form of one of real money or virtual money. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the prize includes at least one of a virtual prize and a real-world prize. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the virtual prize includes at least one of a game specific award and a non game specific award. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the virtual prize includes virtual money. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the real-world prize includes at least one of cash award and goods award. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one winner is selected based on the information associated with the one or more participants. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises at least one of:
 one or more participants who enter the prize contest;   at least one winner selected from the one or more participants; and   a prize to be awarded to each of the at least one winner.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the updating comprises updating an inventory associated with each of the at least one winner in accordance with the prize awarded to the winner. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining an appropriate time for enabling the prize contest operation. 
   
   
       20 . A method for a prize-contest operator, comprising:
 selecting a prize contest based on information related to a plurality of participants in a virtual space associated with an online game;   accessing information relating to the selected prize contest; and   conducting a prize-contest operation that promotes the prize-contest to the plurality of participants in the virtual space.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising receiving a request for selecting a prize contest. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the request enables an access to the information related to the plurality of participants. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising accessing the information related to a plurality of participants in a virtual space associated with an online game before the selecting. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the conducting comprises:
 determining at least one criterion based on which the prize contest is to be conducted;   advertising the prize contest to the plurality of participants in the virtual space with the at least one criterion;   receiving one or more responses from one of the plurality of participants to enter the prize contest; and   selecting at least one winner based on the at least one criterion.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising updating information associated with the at least one winner based on the at least one criterion. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the updating comprises sending a request to update the inventory associated with each of the at least one winner. 
   
   
       27 . A method for a service provider, comprising:
 receiving, from a first party in connection with an online game, a request relating to a prize contest to be conducted in a virtual space associated with the online game;   sending an inquiry, constructed based on the request, to a second party as a source for providing a prize contest;   receiving a response from the second party, wherein the response includes information associated with one or more available prize contests;   forwarding information associated with at least one of the one or more available prize contests to the first party.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first party is a game operator. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second party is a prize contest provider. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second party is a prize contest advertiser. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second party is a prize contest enlister. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the virtual space corresponds to at least one of a gaming environment and a chat room associated with the online game. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the request includes information relating to one or more participants associated with an online game operated by the game operator. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the request includes information relating to one or more participants of a chat room associated with an online game operated by the game operator. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  or  34 , further comprising selecting a prize contest from the one or more available prize contests, wherein the selected prize contest is forwarded to the second party. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33  or  34 , wherein the information relating to a participant comprises at least one of:
 a profile of the participant;   a game inventory of the participant;   a gaming history of the participant; and   a chat history of the participant.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising receiving a fee from the first or the second party.