Video game system for flexibly grouping cooperative players

Abstract

In the present invention, a game system includes a game program storage unit, a group information management unit, a play history storage unit, and a group information update unit. The game program storage unit stores a game program for executing a game to be provided to a plurality of terminal devices. The group information management unit stores player identification information identifying each of a plurality of players of the game and group identification information identifying a group which includes the player, in association with each other. The play history storage unit stores a play history of each of the plurality of players for the game. The group information update unit changes an association stored in the group information management unit between player identification information identifying a first player among the plurality of players and group identification information, at least partially in accordance with the play history of the first player.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A game system comprising:
 a game program storage unit that stores a game program for executing a game to be provided to a plurality of terminal devices;   a group information management unit that stores player identification information and group identification information in association with each other, the player identification information identifying each of a plurality of players of the game, the group identification information identifying a group which includes the player;   a play history storage unit that stores a play history of each of the plurality of players for the game; and   a group information update unit that changes an association stored in the group information management unit between player identification information identifying a first player among the plurality of players and group identification information identifying a group which includes the first player, at least partially in accordance with the play history of the first player.   
     
     
         10 . The game system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the play history includes information indicating activity of each of the plurality of players for the game, and   the group information update unit changes the association between the player identification information identifying the first player and the group identification information identifying the group which includes the first player, in accordance with the activity of the first player.   
     
     
         11 . The game system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the play history includes the number of logins to the game provided by the game program, and   the group information update unit changes the association between the player identification information identifying the first player and the group identification information identifying the group which includes the first player, in accordance with the number of logins made by the first player for a period of time.   
     
     
         12 . The game system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the play history includes an amount charged to each of the plurality of players, and   the group information update unit changes the association between the player identification information identifying the first player and the group identification information identifying the group which includes the first player, in accordance with an amount charged to the first player for a period of time.   
     
     
         13 . The game system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the group information update unit refers to the play history of the first player stored in the play history storage unit, and stores the player identification information identifying the first player in the group information management unit in association with group identification information different from group identification information associated with the player identification information identifying the first player at a time when the play history is referred to.   
     
     
         14 . The game system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the group information update unit stores the player identification information identifying the first player in the group information management unit in association with group identification information identifying a group which includes only the first player.   
     
     
         15 . A gaming server device comprising:
 a game program storage unit that stores a game program for executing a game to be provided to a plurality of terminal devices;   a group information management unit that stores player identification information and group identification information in association with each other, the player identification information identifying each of a plurality of players of the game, the group identification information identifying a group which includes the player;   a play history storage unit that stores a play history of each of the plurality of players for the game; and   a group information update unit that changes an association stored in the group information management unit between player identification information identifying a first player among the plurality of players and group identification information identifying a group which includes the first player, at least partially in accordance with the play history of the first player.