Game Clan Matchmaking

Abstract

Various systems, methods, and computer readable instructions are disclosed herein for a video game clan matchmaking service. In an embodiment, a matchmaking service calculates the weighted skill level of all participating members of a clan, along with the preferences of that clan, to find a well-matched clan. The matchmaking service may collect the skill statistics data of various clans and all their members over a number of game sessions. In one embodiment, the service may calculate the weighted skill level of a clan based on the clan's statistics data and the statistics data of current participating members to determine a weighted skill level. The service may then use this weighted skill level, along with preferences, to match this clan with another clan that has similar skill level and preferences.

1 . A method for matching video game clans in an online gaming service, comprising:
 maintaining a database comprising player game performance data and player game preference data;   receiving a request for a matching clan from at least one clan;   locating game performance data and game preference data for each player of said at least one clan and at least one other clan;   determining a weighted skill level for said at least one clan and said at least one other clan based upon said game performance data, wherein said weighted skill level accounts for a probable effect of said player game performance data on expected performance of said at least one clan;   determining said matching clan based upon said weighted skill level and said game preference data for said at least one clan and said at least one other clan.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said request for a matching clan is received from a clan comprising at least one player who has not previously played with the requesting clan, further comprising determining game performance data and game preference data for said at least one player who has not previously played with the requesting clan. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said request for a matching clan is for a game not previously played by the requesting clan, wherein said determining said matching clan further comprises determining said weighted skill level and said game preference data based on player game performance data and player game preference data from other games. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said request for a matching clan is received from an ad hoc clan, further comprising determining said weighted skill level and said game preference data based on player game performance data and player game preference data from other games if not available for the currently requested game. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining said matching clan comprises using a weighted algorithm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said game preference data comprises player behavioral data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said game preference data comprises player demographic data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said game preference data comprises player review data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a clan profile for a plurality of game clans in said database, said clan profile based upon a weighted skill level for said plurality of game clans and game preference data for said plurality of game clans. 
     
     
         10 . A system for matching video game clans, comprising:
 circuitry configured to receive game clan information, game performance data and game preference data from a user;   circuitry configured to transmit a request for a matching clan, said game clan information, said game performance data and said game preference data to an online gaming service;   circuitry configured to receive from said online service a matching clan, said matching clan based upon clan profiles for a plurality of clans, said clan profiles based upon weighted skill levels and game preference data for said plurality of clans, said weighted skill levels based upon said game performance data.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising circuitry configured to provide a matchmaker user interface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said matchmaker user interface is further configured to receive user input for player clan information and game information. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising circuitry configured to automatically characterize a game session and update a user profile. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising circuitry configured to provide an application programming interface (API) further configured to provide matchmaking services to a video game application. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium storing thereon computer executable instructions for matching video game clans, comprising instructions for:
 receiving a request for a matching clan from at least one clan;   determining game performance data and game preference data for each player of said at least one clan and at least one other clan;   determining a weighted skill level for said at least one clan and said at least one other clan based upon said game performance data;   determining a clan profile for said at least one clan and said at least one other clan based upon said weighted skill level and said game preference data;   determining said matching clan based upon said clan profile for said at least one clan and said at least one other clan.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  further comprising instructions for using default settings when preference data and player profile data are not available. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  further comprising instructions for providing an API for third party applications to provide matchmaking services for video game applications. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein said instructions for determining said matching clan comprises using a weighted algorithm. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein said determining a weighted skill level comprises modeling said game performance data with a Gaussian distribution and using a Bayesian inference algorithm. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein said determining said matching clan comprises using an artificial intelligence algorithm, further comprising receiving user feedback regarding said matching clan and incorporating said user feedback into said artificial intelligence algorithm.