Managing game sessions in a social network messaging system

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to enabling access to a game instance through a messenger application. A client-side player component facilitates communication between a game instance on the client device and a backend server of a social networking system. The communication information can be stored in or retrieved from a social graph of the social networking system. The game instance can be initialized from a social platform of the social networking system, and the game can be played without leaving the messenger application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by at least one computing device having a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
 causing a first user device associated with a first user to display a game selection menu within a first messaging thread user interface for a messaging thread in a messaging application, wherein the game selection menu comprises a plurality of game components, and wherein the messaging thread facilitates communication between the first user and a second user;   receiving, from the first user device, an indication of a selected game component from the plurality of game components;   causing a second user device associated with the second user to display an interactive content entry within a second messaging thread user interface for the messaging thread, wherein the interactive content entry, when selected, allows access to join a game session between the first user and the second user for the selected game component; and   causing the second user device to open, in response to a user input selecting the interactive content entry, a first instance of the game session within the messenger application.