Methods, devices, and systems for video gaming

Abstract

There is a game console, wherein the game console further comprises a set of computer readable instructions for: transmitting login data to at least one game server, wherein the at least one game server is associated with a game service for a gaming community; transmitting data from the game console to the at least one game server to associate the first gamer and a second gamer as members of a semi-permanent gaming clan using the personally identifiable data for the first gamer and the second gamer, wherein the gaming clan has a clan identifier associated therewith; c) transmitting data from the game console to the at least one game server to establish one of the first gamer and the second gamer as a semi-permanent clan leader.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A game console, comprising:
 a CPU;   a computer readable medium storing personally identifiable data for a first gamer;   an operating system stored on the computer readable medium;   a video interface port for transmitting a video signal to a display;   a system bus interconnecting the computer readable medium, the CPU, and the video port;   a first video game application stored on the computer readable medium;   a second video game application stored on the computer readable medium; and   wherein the game console further comprises a set of computer readable instructions for:
 a) transmitting login data to at least one game server, wherein the at least one game server is associated with a game service for a gaming community; 
 b) transmitting data from the game console to the at least one game server to associate the first gamer and a second gamer as members of a semi-permanent gaming clan using the personally identifiable data for the first gamer and the second gamer, wherein the gaming clan has a clan identifier associated therewith; 
 c) transmitting data from the game console to the at least one game server to establish one of the first gamer and the second gamer as a semi-permanent clan leader, wherein the clan leader is authorized to initiate one or more actions within the gaming service on behalf of each of member of the gaming clan; and 
   wherein the first game application and the second game application each comprise a set of computer readable instructions for accessing the clan identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The game console of  claim 1 , wherein the game console further comprises a set of computer readable instructions enabling a user of the game console to select a gamer tag of the first gamer and to send a clan invite to the game server for the first gamer. 
     
     
         3 . The game console of  claim 2 , wherein the set of computer readable instructions for the first game application further comprises instructions enabling a multiplayer video game and a single player video game, wherein the multiplayer video game further comprises data associated with a multiplayer clan game prize. 
     
     
         4 . The game console of  claim 1 , wherein the set of computer readable instructions for the first video game application further comprises instructions for unlocking the multiplayer clan game prize when the members of the clan achieve a predetermined objective in the multiplayer video game associated with the first video game application. 
     
     
         5 . The game console of  claim 1 , further comprising clan marketplace data wherein the clan marketplace data comprises data for a multiplayer clan game prize that was purchased or swapped in a clan marketplace associated with the game server. 
     
     
         6 . The game console of  claim 1 , wherein the set of computer readable instructions for the first game application and the second game application further comprise instructions for accessing clan data stored on the computer readable medium. 
     
     
         7 . The game console of  claim 6 , wherein the clan data received from the game server comprises a list of video games that are common between the first gamer and the second gamer. 
     
     
         8 . A game console, comprising:
 a CPU;   a computer readable medium;   a network interface;   an operating system stored on the computer readable medium;   a video interface port for transmitting a video signal to a display;   a system bus interconnecting the computer readable medium, the CPU, the network interface and the video port;   a first video game application for providing gameplay stored on the computer readable medium; and   a set of computer readable instructions for:   a) receiving a message from a smart phone via the network interface;   b) displaying the message within a video game image projected by a display connected to the video interface port, wherein the message is displayed without suspending gameplay; and   c) transmitting a reply to the smart phone, wherein the response is inputted to the game console entered by the first gamer without suspending gameplay.   
     
     
         9 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the reply is transmitted to the smart phone via a game server. 
     
     
         10 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the message comprises data associated with a phone number of the smart phone and wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions for matching a gamer tag stored on the computer readable medium to the phone number. 
     
     
         11 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions enabling a real time interactive audio dialog between a user of the smart phone and a user of the game console using a headset connected to a game controller. 
     
     
         12 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the display is displaying live action game play simultaneously with the message. 
     
     
         13 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the first video game application comprises a set of computer readable instructions for receiving and processing a game play input from a user of the game console while displaying the message. 
     
     
         14 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the reply is entered with a game controller attachment. 
     
     
         15 . The game console of  claim 8 , wherein the game controller comprises at least one message button, wherein said message button is used primarily for entering the reply. 
     
     
         16 . A game system, comprising:
 a game console comprising
 a CPU; 
 a computer readable medium; 
 a network interface port; 
 an operating system stored on the computer readable medium; 
 a video interface port for transmitting a video signal to a display; 
 a system bus interconnecting the computer readable medium, the CPU, the network interface port and the video port; 
 a first video game application for providing gameplay, wherein the first video game application is stored on the computer readable medium; 
   a game controller in data communication with the game console;   a headset in data communication with one of the game controller and the game console;   a mobile phone;   wherein the game console comprises a set of computer readable instructions for:
 i. wirelessly pairing the mobile phone to the game console so as to create a personal area network; 
 ii. transmitting audio or text data between the game console and the mobile phone; 
 iii. transmitting the audio or text data between the game console and the headset. 
   
     
     
         17 . The game system of  claim 16 , wherein the audio or text data from the mobile phone comprises audio or text data transmitted to the mobile phone from a second mobile phone via a cellular network, wherein the second mobile phone is remote from the mobile phone. 
     
     
         18 . The game system of  claim 17 , wherein the game console further comprises instructions enabling a user of the game console to toggle between the audio data from one or members of a gaming community participating in the game play and the audio or text data transmitted to the mobile phone from a second mobile phone via a cellular network. 
     
     
         19 . The game system of  claim 16 , wherein the game controller comprises a plurality of buttons and wherein one of the buttons provides an input to the game console to toggle between the audio data from one or members of a gaming community participating in the game play and the audio or text data transmitted to the mobile phone from a second mobile phone via a cellular network. 
     
     
         20 . The game system of  claim 16 , wherein the game console further comprises a set of instructions for:
 a) receiving a telephone number from a game server and displaying the telephone number within a video game image projected by a display connected to the video interface port, wherein the telephone number is displayed without suspending gameplay;   b) transmitting the telephone number to the mobile phone;   c) instructing the mobile phone to transmit the telephone number to the cellular network to thereby place the mobile phone and a second mobile phone in data communication.