Virtual item promotions via time-period-based virtual item benefits

Abstract

An approach to facilitating virtual item promotions via time-period-based virtual item benefits is provided. A store interface may present offers to users of a game space to purchase item instances of virtual items associated with in-space benefits. Item instances of a first virtual item may be configured to be activated by the users in the game space to obtain one or more first in-space benefits. A promotion that is conducted for the game space may be managed such that, during a first promotion time period, item instances of the first virtual item purchased through the store interface may be modified instances of the first virtual item. The modified instances may be configured to be activated by the users in the game space during a second promotion time period to obtain one or more second in-space benefits.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing time-period-based virtual item benefits within an online game, the system comprising:
 one or more hardware processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:
 execute a game instance of the online game, and to use the game instance to facilitate interaction of users with the online game and/or each other; 
 present an interface to the users including a first user, wherein the interface is configured to present offers to the users to purchase item instances of virtual items associated with in-game benefits, the virtual items including a first virtual item, wherein the item instances of the first virtual item are either:
 (i) a first item instance of the first virtual item configured to provide one or more first in-game benefits, or 
 (ii) a second item instance of the first virtual item configured to provide one or more second in-game benefits, wherein the one or more second in-game benefits are different from the one or more first in-game benefits; 
 
 provide the one or more first in-game benefits to the first user within the online game responsive to either:
 (i) the first user purchasing the first item instance of the first virtual item outside the first time period, and further responsive to the first item instance being activated by the first user, or 
 (ii) the first user purchasing the first item instance of the first virtual item, and further responsive to the first item instance being activated outside a second time period, wherein the first time period is different from the second time period; and 
 
 provide the one or more second in-game benefits to the first user within the online game responsive to the first user purchasing the second item instance of the first virtual item during the first time period, and further responsive to the second item instance being activated by the first user during the second time period. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions such that the item instances are configured to be activated by the users in the online game during time periods other than the second time period to obtain the one or more first in-game benefits, and wherein the one or more first in-game benefits are provided to the first user responsive to at least one of the item instances being activated by the first user during a time period outside of the second time period. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions such that the first time period is overlapping with the second time period. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions such that the first time period is not overlapping with the second time period. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions to provide the second item instance in exchange for consideration. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions such that the virtual items include virtual containers, wherein the virtual containers include a first virtual container, and wherein individual ones of container instances of the first virtual container are configured to be activated by the users in the online game to obtain the one or more second in-game benefits and one or more item instances of other virtual items. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the other virtual items include the first virtual item such that individual ones of the container instances are configured to be activated by the users in the online game to obtain a plurality of the one or more second in-game benefits. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the other virtual items do not include the first virtual item. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions to provide at least some of the container instances of the first virtual container to the users that requested a container instance of the first virtual container in exchange for consideration associated with a price of a container instance of the first virtual container. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the machine-readable instructions such that the price of the container instance of the first virtual container is different from a total sum of prices of the first item instance of the first virtual item and the one or more item instances of the other virtual items. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for providing time-period-based virtual item benefits within a game space, the method being implemented on a computer system that includes one or more hardware processors, the method comprising:
 executing a game instance of the online game;   using the game instance to facilitate interaction of the users with the online game and/or each other;   presenting an interface to the users including a first user, wherein the interface is configured to present offers to users to purchase item instances of virtual items associated with in-game benefits, the virtual items including a first virtual item, wherein the item instances of the first virtual item are either:
 (i) a first item instance of the first virtual item configured to provide one or more first in-game benefits, or 
 (ii) a second item instance of the first virtual item configured to provide one or more second in-game benefits, wherein the one or more second in-game benefits are different from the one or more first in-game benefits; 
   providing the one or more first in-game benefits to the first user within the online game responsive to either:
 (i) the first user purchasing the first item instance of the first virtual item outside the first time period, and further responsive to the first item instance being activated by the first user, or 
 (ii) the first user purchasing the first item instance of the first virtual item, and further responsive to the first item instance being activated outside a second time period, wherein the first time period is different from the second time period; and 
   providing the one or more second in-game benefits to the first user within the online game responsive to the first user purchasing the second item instance of the first virtual item during the first time period, and further responsive to the second item instance being activated by the first user during the second time period.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the item instances are configured to be activated by the users in the online game during time periods other than the second time period to obtain the one or more first in-game benefits, the method further comprising providing the one or more first in-game benefits to the first user responsive to at least one of the item instances being activated by the first user during a time period outside of the second time period. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first time period is overlapping with the second time period. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first time period is not overlapping with the second time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing the second item instance in exchange for consideration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual items include virtual containers, wherein the virtual containers include a first virtual container, and wherein individual ones of container instances of the first virtual container are configured to be activated by the users in the online game to obtain the one or more second in-game benefits and one or more item instances of other virtual items. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing at least some of the container instances of the first virtual container to the users that requested a container instance of the first virtual container in exchange for consideration associated with a price of a container instance of the first virtual container. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the price of the container instance of the first virtual container is different from a total sum of prices for the first item instance of the first virtual item and the one or more item instances of the other virtual items.