Network computer game linked to real-time financial data

Abstract

A network-based computer game that both uses real-time financial data to affect game state and uses participants' actions to determine and engage in financial transactions. A game server receives financial data on market conditions (such as currency markets) from a financial server and regularly synchronizes user's game environments to match the financial data. The game server propagates financial data to the game or games, coordinates communication (if any) between the games, and can initiate the opening and closing of positions in the financial market based on players' game behavior. The financial market can be a currency market, where one nation's currency can be exchanged for another currency at a certain exchange rate.

1 . A system for trading in a financial market, comprising:
 a financial server for effecting trades or transactions in a financial market; and   a game server in electronic communication with the financial server;   wherein conditions in a game on the game server change in response to changes in conditions in the financial market.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further wherein the financial server effects trades or transactions in the financial market in response to actions taken in the game by one or more players. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the financial market is a currency market. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a multiplayer game. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the game is accessible to players through the Internet. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein players develop a trading engine in the game. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein players develop resources in the game or for use in the game through exchange nodes. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein players are aware of the connection between the game and the financial market. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein players are unaware of the connection between the game and the financial market. 
   
   
       10 . A computer-implemented method for effecting trades in a financial market, comprising the steps of:
 receiving financial data about conditions in a financial market;   changing conditions in a game on a computer game server in response to changes in conditions in the financial market;   receiving game data about actions taken by one or more players in the game in response to changes in conditions in the game; and   making one or more trades in the financial market based on the received game data.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the financial market is a currency market. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the game is a multiplayer game. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the game is accessible to players through the Internet.