Systems and methods for accessing online content during online gaming

Abstract

Systems and methods for accessing online content during online gaming are disclosed. In one embodiment, online gainers are able to access available online music content while in-game. Player-selected music content may be played and incorporated directly into the online RPG/MMORPG gaming experience. Players desiring to access additional music content to be played while in-game may be directed to a third-party server, from which the desired music content may be selected and/or downloaded. The selected music content may then replace the generic background music to which all other players are limited.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer program code embodied therein, the computer program product having: computer readable program code to provide access to a virtual world environment; computer readable program code to stream personalized content to a subset of users accessing said virtual world environment; computer readable program code to direct said subset of users to a third-party server from which said personalized content is available for download; and computer readable program code to enable said subset of users to download said personalized content from said third-party server while still in said virtual world environment. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein said computer readable program code to provide access comprises computer readable program code to permit a client application executing on a user computer to access said virtual game environment over a network connection. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , further having computer readable program code to generate said virtual game environment by a server-side system that is accessible via said network connection by a plurality of users which includes said subset of users. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein said computer readable program code to stream personalized content comprises computer readable program code to stream an audio file to the subset of users and computer readable program code to stream a different audio file to a group of users different than said subset of users. 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein said computer readable program code to stream personalized content comprises computer readable program code to stream a plurality of channels of audio content from which online users may select a particular channel to listen. 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein said virtual world environment is an online role playing game environment. 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , further having computer readable program code to receive a request from an online user to mark a track of said personalized content. 
     
     
         25 .- 26 . (canceled)