Socially-mediated flash sales

Abstract

A flash sale mechanic of a virtual game may perform a flash sale transaction based on transaction details for the flash sale transaction. These transaction details may indicate an item for sale, invitation requirements applicable to a player of the virtual game, and transaction requirements applicable to participants of the flash sale transaction. The flash sale mechanic may selectively provide an invitation request to a first player of the virtual game based on the invitation requirements of the flash sale transaction, and may receive acceptance responses from players that choose to participate in the flash sale transaction. The flash sale mechanic may complete the flash sale transaction if it determines that it has received an acceptance response from at least a minimum number of players that are needed to complete the flash sale transaction, and that these players have satisfied the transaction requirements.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method comprising:
 during a gameplay session of a computer-implemented game played via a user device associated with a player of the game, causing in-game display on the user device of a discount offer that indicates an opportunity for the player to participate in a discount transaction, the discount offer indicating:
 at least one trade item available from an out-of-game merchant; 
 discount terms on which the at least one trade item is offered to the player, in accordance with the discount offer; and 
 one or more discount requirements that are to be satisfied by the player as a prerequisite for eligibility to participate in the discount transaction on the discount terms, the one or more discount requirements including physical presence of the player and a specified geographical location. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 verifying satisfaction of the one or more discount requirements by the player, the verifying including determining physical presence of the player at the specified location based on location information from a mobile computer device associated with the player; and   in response to the verifying, authorizing participation of the player in the discount transaction.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more discount requirements comprise playing of the game by the player while the player is physically present at the specified geographical location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the specified geographical location is a brick-and-mortar store at which the at least one trade item is available for sale to members of the public. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the discount requirements include performance by the player of one or more in-game actions by the player while the player is physically present at the specified geographical location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more in-game actions comprise player-controlled game moves performed within a virtual in-game environment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining that predefined invitation requirements are satisfied by the player, the displaying of the discount offer to the player being conditional upon and in response to the determining that the invitation requirements are satisfied. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the invitation requirements include completion by the player of a particular in-game objective. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more discount requirements include receiving an acceptance response from at least a predefined threshold number of other players, each acceptance response being responsive to discount information received by the respective other players from the player. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more discount requirements include that each of the other players is a member of a social graph of the player. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more discount requirements include that discount offer referrals originating from the player and a propagation depth, as reflected within the social graph of the player, than is greater than a predefined threshold depth. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a transaction-processing module comprising one or more computer processors configured to cause, during a gameplay session of a computer-implemented game played via a user device associated with a player of the game, in-game display on the user device of a discount offer that indicates an opportunity for the player to participate in a discount transaction, the discount offer indicating:
 at least one trade item available from an out-of-game merchant; 
 discount terms on which the at least one trade item is offered to the player, in accordance with the discount offer; and 
 one or more discount requirements that are to be satisfied by the player as a prerequisite for eligibility to participate in the discount transaction on the discount terms, the one or more discount requirements including physical presence of the player and a specified geographical location. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the transaction-processing module is further configured to:
 verify satisfaction of the one or more discount requirements by the player, the verifying including determining physical presence of the player at the specified location based on location information from a mobile computer device associated with the player; and   in response to verification of satisfaction of the one or more discount requirements by the player, authorize participation of the player in the discount transaction.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more discount requirements comprise playing of the game by the player while the player is physically present at the specified geographical location. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the discount requirements include performance by the player of one or more in-game actions by the player while the player is physically present at the specified geographical location, the one or more in-game actions comprising player-controlled game moves performed within a virtual in-game environment. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the transaction-processing module is further configured to determine whether or not predefined invitation requirements are satisfied by the player, and to display the discount offer to the player in response to determining that the invitation requirements are satisfied by the player. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the invitation requirements include completion by the player of a particular in-game objective. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more discount requirements include receiving an acceptance response from at least a predefined threshold number of other players, each acceptance response being responsive to discount information received by the respective other players from the player. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more discount requirements include that each of the other players is a member of a social graph of the player, and that discount offer referrals originating from the player and a propagation depth, as reflected within the social graph of the player, than is greater than a predefined threshold depth. 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions configured to cause a machine, upon execution of the instructions by the machine, to perform operations comprising:
 during a gameplay session of a computer-implemented game played via a user device associated with a player of the game, causing in-game display on the user device of a discount offer that indicates an opportunity for the player to participate in a discount transaction, the discount offer indicating:
 at least one trade item available from an out-of-game merchant; 
 discount terms on which the at least one trade item is offered to the player, in accordance with the discount offer; and 
 one or more discount requirements that are to be satisfied by the player as a prerequisite for eligibility to participate in the discount transaction on the discount terms, the one or more discount requirements including physical presence of the player and a specified geographical location.