Video games with valuation of a game environment

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a video game permits valuation of a game environment and/or sharing value in the game. For example, players can buy and sell whole or fractional portions of the revenue sources derived from a particular game environment. The ownership may be represented as debt, stock or as some other allocations mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-volatile computer-readable medium in communication with processor;   in which the non-volatile computer-readable medium stores a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a process that includes:   running a massive multi player online game that is operable to support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,
 in which each of the players controls at least one player character; 
   providing a game environment in the online game;   requiring each of a subset of the player characters to pay a fee to a first player character in order to access the game environment;   receiving commands from the player characters to construct units in the game environment;   determining a valuation of the game environment based on a value of the constructed units;   determining an opening share price for the game environment based on the valuation;   distributing shares of the game environment to each of the subset of player characters, in which the distributed shares entitle each of the subset of player characters to receive a dividend; and   providing to each of the subset of player characters, shares of stock in the game environment in proportion to the respective shares of the game environment held by the player character.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the non-volatile computer-readable medium stores additional instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a process that further includes:
 determining if a second player character owns any of the shares in the game environment; and   permitting the second player character to access the game environment only if the second player character owns any of the shares in the game environment.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the non-volatile computer-readable medium stores additional instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a process that further includes:
 permitting the first player character to obtain virtual funds through a loan to develop the game environment.   
     
     
         4 . A method performed by a computer, the method comprising:
 running, by a Video Game Central Server, a massive multi player online game that is operable to support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,
 in which each of the players controls at least one player character; 
   providing, by the Video Game Central Server, a game environment in the online game;   requiring, by the Video Game Central Server, each of a subset of the player characters to pay a fee to a first player character in order to access the game environment;   receiving, by the Video Game Central Server, commands from the player characters to construct units in the game environment;   determining, by the Video Game Central Server, a valuation of the game environment based on a value of the constructed units;   determining, by the Video Game Central Server, an opening share price for the game environment based on the valuation;   distributing, by the Video Game Central Server, shares of the game environment to each of the subset of player characters, in which the distributed shares entitle each of the subset of player characters to receive a dividend; and   providing, by the Video Game Central Server, to each of the subset of player characters, shares of stock in the game environment in proportion to the respective shares of the game environment held by the player character.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining if a second player character owns any of the shares in the game environment; and   permitting the second player character to access the game environment only if the second player character owns any of the shares in the game environment.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 permitting, by the Video Game Central Server, the first player character to obtain virtual funds through a loan to develop the game environment.