Products and processes for providing upsells to players in a video game

Abstract

In an embodiment, a video game provides offers to players at particular times, such as in response to failed attempts by the players to accomplish objectives. For example, the video game can provide an offer to receive a particular virtual item (a virtual object or a virtual service delivered in the video game) in exchange for a particular price. Players can create the offers and have the video game deliver the offers to the appropriate other players.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor, and   a memory in communication with the processor,   in which the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to perform a process comprising:   running an online game that is operable to simultaneously support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,
 in which each of the players controls one or more respective player characters; 
 in which the players are able to interact with each other in the game; 
   determining that a first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to achieve a predetermined objective in the game;   providing, to a player corresponding to the first player character, a message in the video game that describes an offer for a virtual object that permits the first player character to achieve the predetermined objective, in exchange for payment of a predetermined price in real currency;   providing, to the player corresponding to the first player character, a control in the video game to permit the player to indicate whether the offer is accepted;   receiving, from the player corresponding to the first player character, an acceptance of the offer;   providing, to the first player character, a virtual object that permits the first player character to achieve the predetermined objective; and   charging the player corresponding to the first player character the predetermined price in real currency.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to achieve a predetermined objective in the game comprises:
 determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to transition to a subsequent level in the game.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to achieve a predetermined objective in the game comprises:
 determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to defeat a particular opponent in the game.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which providing, to the first player character, a virtual object that permits the first player character to achieve the predetermined objective comprises:
 providing, to the first player character, a virtual tool.   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor, and   a memory in communication with the processor,   in which the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to perform a process comprising:   running an online game that is operable to simultaneously support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,
 in which each of the players controls one or more respective player characters; 
 in which the players are able to interact with each other in the game; 
   determining that a first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to achieve a predetermined objective in the game;   providing, to a player corresponding to the first player character, a message in the video game that describes an offer to achieve the predetermined objective in exchange for payment of a predetermined price in real currency;   providing, to the player corresponding to the first player character, a control in the video game to permit the player to indicate whether the offer is accepted;   receiving, from the player corresponding to the first player character, an acceptance of the offer;   deeming that the objective has been achieved by the first player character without further efforts by the first player character; and   charging the player corresponding to the first player character the predetermined price in real currency.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to achieve a predetermined objective in the game comprises:
 determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to transition to a subsequent level in the game.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to achieve a predetermined objective in the game comprises:
 determining that the first player character has failed at least a predetermined number of times to defeat a particular opponent in the game.