Integration of multiple games

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for providing online games that are non-monolithic programs. One method includes an operation for providing a shared navigation interface in a plurality of game applications to be rendered on a mobile device. The shared navigation interface includes options for loading and executing each of the game applications from the plurality of game applications, and progress made in each game application is independent from progress made in other game applications from the plurality of game applications. Further, the method includes operations for loading and executing a first game application from the plurality of game applications on the mobile device, and for detecting a selection, made by a user playing the first game, of a second game application in the shared navigation interface. The second game application is loaded and executed in response to the detecting.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 providing a shared navigation interface in a plurality of game applications to be rendered on a mobile device, the shared navigation interface including options for loading and executing each of the game applications from the plurality of game applications, wherein progress made in each game application is independent from progress made in other game applications from the plurality of game applications;   loading and executing a first game application from the plurality of game applications on the mobile device;   detecting a selection, made by a user playing the first game, of a second game application in the shared navigation interface; and   loading and executing the second game application in response to the detecting, wherein operations of the method are executed by a processor.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each game application is operable to be directly accessed and executed without having to load any other game application and without having to load the shared navigation interface. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including:
 providing a friend interface with information regarding activities of friends of the user, the information being for activities in any of the plurality of game applications.   
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including:
 providing an option to move within the plurality of game applications together with a friend of the user.   
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , where in the plurality of game applications are for casino games, wherein the shared navigation interface represents a casino lobby. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each game application from the plurality of game applications includes a respective game skill level. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein a global skill level measures progress in two or more of the game applications. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including:
 providing a currency that is shared by the plurality of game applications.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein each game application is operable to increase or decrease an amount of the currency during game play. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein a game item, other than the currency, obtained in the first game application is used for progress in a second game application from the plurality of game applications. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the shared navigation interface includes tabs for loading the game applications and an amount of currency. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the tab associated with a game application that is being executed has a different format than a rest of the tabs associated with other game applications. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including:
 suggesting one or more friends to the user.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each game application is a non-monolithic program, wherein a non-monolithic program is a program that, when loaded and executed, provides access to one game application, wherein accessing another game application from the non-monolithic program requires that another non-monolithic program be loaded and executed by a computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including:
 receiving privacy settings from the user of the plurality of game applications, wherein the privacy settings are shared by the plurality of game applications, wherein the privacy settings include one or more of:   allowing friends to see activities of a user;   allowing selected friends to see the activities of the user; and   allowing everyone to see the activities of the user.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for providing game applications, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 program instructions for providing a shared navigation interface in a plurality of game applications to be rendered on a mobile device, the shared navigation interface including options for loading and executing each of the game applications from the plurality of game applications, wherein progress made in each game application is independent from progress made in other game applications from the plurality of game applications;   program instructions for loading and executing a first game application from the plurality of game applications on the mobile device;   program instructions for detecting a selection of a second game application in the shared navigation interface; and   program instructions for loading and executing the second game application in response to the detecting.   
     
     
         17 . The storage medium of  claim 16 , further including:
 providing a shared navigation interface application for executing the shared navigation interface without executing any of the game applications, wherein the shared navigation interface application when loaded is inoperable to play any of the game applications.   
     
     
         18 . A method for providing access to a plurality of game applications, the method comprising:
 providing a shared navigation interface in a plurality of game applications to be rendered on a mobile device, the shared navigation interface including options for loading and executing each of the game applications from the plurality of game applications, wherein progress made in each game application is independent from progress made in other game applications from the plurality of game applications;   loading and executing a first game application from the plurality of game applications on the mobile device;   providing chat services within the first game to a user playing the first game for exchanging messages with friends of the user, wherein the user and the friends of the user are able to exchange messages even when the user and the friends of the user are playing different game applications from the plurality of game applications;   detecting a selection of a second game application in the shared navigation interface; and   loading and executing the second game application in response to the detecting, wherein operations of the method are executed by a processor.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein each game application from the plurality of game applications includes a game skill level, and wherein the shared navigation interface includes a casino skill level that measures progress for two or more of the plurality of game applications. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein operations of the method are performed by a computer program when executed by one or more processors, the computer program being embedded in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.