Service-triggered game events

Abstract

Various embodiments relating to management of game data of a video game by a game service and service triggered delivery of game data to various subscribers are provided. In one embodiment, game data of a video game is received at a game service computing machine as the video game is being executed on a user gaming machine. A game statistic is generated by the game service computing machine based on the game data. The game statistic is sent to subscribers having a subscription to the game statistic.

1 . A method of managing game data of a video game at a game service computing machine, the method comprising:
 after release of the video game for execution on a user gaming machine, receiving, via a computer network from a developer computing machine different than the user gaming machine, a command to replace initial achievement criteria for awarding an achievement with updated achievement criteria for awarding the achievement;   receiving, from the user gaming machine via the computer network, game data of the video game;   computer-generating a game statistic for the video game based on the game data; and   if the game statistic meets the updated achievement criteria, awarding the achievement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, to the user gaming machine via the computer network, an achievement notification message indicating that the achievement has been earned. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command to replace the initial achievement criteria with the updated achievement criteria is received from the developer computing machine without releasing an updated version of the video game for execution on the user gaming machine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the initial achievement criteria are defined prior to release of the video game for execution on the user gaming machine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, via a storage machine of the game service computing machine, archived game data generated during previous game play of the video game;   generating the game statistic based on the archived game data; and   if the game statistic generated from the archived game data meets the updated achievement criteria, awarding the achievement.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game data includes information associated with a game event and the game data is sent to the game service computing machine substantially in real time in response to occurrence of the game event. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, via the computer network, the game statistic to the video game and other subscribers having a subscription to the game statistic. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the other subscribers include a companion application. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the companion application is executed on the user gaming machine. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the companion application is executed on a companion computing machine. 
     
     
         11 . A game service computing machine, comprising:
 a logic machine; and   a storage machine holding instruction executable by a logic machine to:
 after release of a video game for execution on a user gaming machine, receive, via a computer network from a developer computing machine different than the user gaming machine, a command to replace initial achievement criteria for awarding an achievement with updated achievement criteria for awarding the achievement; 
 receive, from the user gaming machine via the computer network, game data of the video game; 
 computer-generate a game statistic for the video game based on the game data; and 
 if the game statistic meets the updated achievement criteria, award the achievement. 
   
     
     
         12 . The game service computing machine of  claim 11 , wherein the game data includes information associated with one or more game events and the game data is sent to the game service computing machine substantially in real time in response to occurrence of the one or more game events. 
     
     
         13 . The game service computing machine of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further executable to send, to the user gaming machine via the computer network, an achievement notification message indicating that the achievement has been earned. 
     
     
         14 . The game service computing machine of  claim 11 , where the initial achievement criteria are defined prior to release of the video game for execution on the user gaming machine. 
     
     
         15 . The game service computing machine of  claim 11 , where the instructions are further executable to send, via the computer network, the game statistic to the video game and other subscribers having a subscription to the game statistic. 
     
     
         16 . The game service computing machine of  claim 15 , wherein the other subscribers include a companion application. 
     
     
         17 . The game service computing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the companion application is executed on the user gaming machine. 
     
     
         18 . The game service computing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the companion application is executed on a companion computing machine. 
     
     
         19 . A method of managing game data of a video game at a game service computing machine, the method comprising:
 after release of the video game for execution on a user gaming machine, receiving, via a computer network from a developer computing machine different than the user gaming machine, a command to replace initial achievement criteria for awarding an achievement with updated achievement criteria for awarding the achievement;   recognizing a game statistic for the video game, the game statistic computer-generated based on game data resulting from execution of the video game on the user gaming machine; and   if the game statistic meets the updated achievement criteria, awarding the achievement.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the command to replace the initial achievement criteria with the updated achievement criteria is received from the developer computing machine without releasing an updated version of the video game for execution on the user gaming machine.