Gameplay Threads in Messaging Applications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes analyzing first in-game actions of a first user playing a game via a messaging application; sending a first customized message in a message thread, the first customized message including at least a first preview of a gameplay of the first user, first performance metrics of the first user in the game, and a first interactive action button for a second user to take a first action with respect to the game; analyzing second in-game actions of the second user playing the game via the messaging application; and sending a second customized message in the message thread, the second customized message including at least a second preview of the gameplay of the second user, second performance metrics of the second user in the game, and a second interactive action button for the first user to take a second action with respect to the game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising, by one or more computer systems:
 analyzing one or more first in-game actions of a first user playing a game via a messaging application running on a first client system of the first user;   sending, on behalf of the first user, a first customized message in a message thread comprising one or more communications between the first user and a second user, the first customized message comprising at least a first preview of a gameplay of the first user, first performance metrics of the first user in the game, and a first interactive action button for the second user to take a first action with respect to the game;   analyzing one or more second in-game actions of the second user playing the game via the messaging application running on a second client system of the second user; and   sending, on behalf of the second user, a second customized message in the message thread comprising the one or more communications between the first user and the second user, the second customized message comprising at least a second preview of the gameplay of the second user, second performance metrics of the second user in the game, and a second interactive action button for the first user to take a second action with respect to the game.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first in-game actions of the first user comprises:
 taking a turn or move in the game;   viewing a gameplay of the second user; or   sending a message to the second user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second in-game actions of the second user comprises:
 taking a turn or move in the game;   viewing a gameplay of the first user; or   sending a message to the first user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first in-game actions and the one or more second in-game actions are performed within an instance of the messaging application running on the first client system and the second client system, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a context identifier (ID) for the message thread comprising the first user and the second user; and   providing the context ID to a game bot associated with the game, the game bot being a software agent configured to act automatically on behalf of the game, the first user, and the second user,   wherein the context ID is used by the game bot to interact with one or more of the first user or the second user associated with the message thread.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first user and the second user are associated with a messaging network, and wherein the game bot is generated based on software logic and instructions added by a game developer to an application programming interface (API) associated with the messaging network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the game bot sends the first customized message on behalf of the first user and the second customized message on behalf of the second user in the message thread. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first interactive action button and the second interactive action button are customizable by the game bot. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the game bot customizes the first interactive action button and the second interactive action button based on the one or more first in-game actions of the first user and the one or more second in-game actions of the second user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first performance metrics or the second performance metrics comprise one or more of a score, a rank, a status, or a level achieved in the game. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, at the first client system, an interface of the messaging application comprising a games-tab element, wherein the games-tab element is selectable by the first user to access a games tab comprising a list of games;   selecting, by the first user via the games tab, the game from the list of games;   initiating, at the first client system, the game within the message thread on the messaging application;   selecting, by the first user, the second user from a plurality of users to play the game;   sending, by the first client system to the second client system, an invite request inviting the second user to play the game with the first user;   receiving, from the second client system, an indication the second user has accepted the request to play the game; and   initiating, at the first and second client systems, a game session of the game between the first user and the second user in a game window displayed within the message thread.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the game window displayed within the message thread is operable to: (1) display a live gameplay of the game between the first user and the second user inside the message thread on the messaging application and (2) allow the first user or the second user to perform the one or more first in-game actions or the one or more second in-game actions in the game via interactive action buttons included in the game window displayed within the message thread. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the games tab is dynamically updated at periodic time intervals to (1) re-sort a current list of games and (2) incorporate game data associated with one or more games interacted with by the first user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the game data associated with the one or more games comprises at least the message thread associated with the game. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the games-tab element is displayed in the interface of the messaging application in response to the first user satisfying a threshold level of gaming activity. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the threshold level of gaming activity comprises one or more of:
 the first user playing one or more games more than a threshold number of times within a predefined time period; or   the first user viewing gameplay of other users for the one or more games more than the threshold number of times within the predefined time period.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a multiplayer game. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game is played from inside the message thread on the messaging application via an application programming interface (API) of a game server. 
     
     
         19 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
 analyze one or more first in-game actions of a first user playing a game via a messaging application running on a first client system of the first user;   send, on behalf of the first user, a first customized message in a message thread comprising one or more communications between the first user and a second user, the first customized message comprising at least a first preview of a gameplay of the first user, first performance metrics of the first user in the game, and a first interactive action button for the second user to take a first action with respect to the game;   analyze one or more second in-game actions of the second user playing the game via the messaging application running on a second client system of the second user; and   send, on behalf of the second user, a second customized message in the message thread comprising the one or more communications between the first user and the second user, the second customized message comprising at least a second preview of the gameplay of the second user, second performance metrics of the second user in the game, and a second interactive action button for the first user to take a second action with respect to the game.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:
 analyze one or more first in-game actions of a first user playing a game via a messaging application running on a first client system of the first user;   send, on behalf of the first user, a first customized message in a message thread comprising one or more communications between the first user and a second user, the first customized message comprising at least a first preview of a gameplay of the first user, first performance metrics of the first user in the game, and a first interactive action button for the second user to take a first action with respect to the game;   analyze one or more second in-game actions of the second user playing the game via the messaging application running on a second client system of the second user; and   send, on behalf of the second user, a second customized message in the message thread comprising the one or more communications between the first user and the second user, the second customized message comprising at least a second preview of the gameplay of the second user, second performance metrics of the second user in the game, and a second interactive action button for the first user to take a second action with respect to the game.