Multiplayer video game matchmaking optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11141663-B2
Application number	US-202016813454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2016
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments of systems presented herein may identify users to include in a match plan. A parameter model may be generated to predict the retention time of a set of users. A queue of potential users, a set of teammates, and/or opponents may be selected from a queue of waiting users. User information for the set of teammates and/or opponents may be provided to the parameter model to generate a predicted retention time. The set of teammates and/or opponents may be approved if the predicted retention time meets a predetermined threshold. Advantageously, by creating a match plan based on retention rates, the engagement and/or retention level for a number of users may be improved compared to existing multiplayer matching systems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
as implemented by an interactive computing system configured with specific computer-executable instructions,
receiving an indication that a first user and a second user desire to play an instance of a video game together;
associating the first user and the second user as a user set;
accessing first user interaction data associated with the first user's interaction with the video game and second user interaction data associated with the second user's interaction with the video game;
selecting at least a third user to play the instance of the video game with the user set;
accessing third user interaction data associated with the third user's interaction with the video game;
forming a match plan that includes at least the user set and the third user;
predicting a match retention value for the match plan based at least in part on the first user interaction data, the second user interaction data, the third user interaction data, and an indication that the first user and the second user are in the user set, the retention value associated with an amount of time that users included in the match plan are predicted to play the video game; and
responsive to determining that the match retention value does not satisfy a match retention threshold, substituting at least one of the third user or each of the users included in the user set with other users that have indicated a desire to play the instance of the video game to obtain an updated match plan.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interaction data is obtained by monitoring the first user's interaction with one or more instance of the video game.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein forming the match plan comprises assigning at least the first user to a first role and the second user to a second role within the match plan.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the third user is not assigned to a particular role within the instance of the video game.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein assigning at least the first user to the first role and the second user to the second role comprises assigning the first user and the second user as teammates within the match plan.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein assigning at least the first user to the first role and the second user to the second role comprises assigning the first user and the second user as opponents within the match plan.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the match plan includes a fourth user, and wherein the method further comprises:
predicting a user retention value for the fourth user based at least in part on fourth user interaction data associated with the fourth user's interaction with the video game; and
responsive to determining that the user retention value for the fourth user does not satisfy a user retention threshold, substituting the fourth user with another user while maintaining the users included in the user set in the match plan.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the user retention threshold and the match retention threshold differ in value.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the match retention value comprises an aggregation of user retention values for each of the users included in the match plan.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein predicting the match retention value comprises:
providing at least the first user interaction data, the second user interaction data, the third user interaction data, and the indication that the first user and the second user are in the user set to a prediction function that is generated based at least in part on a machine learning algorithm; and
determining the predicted retention value based at least in part on an output of the prediction function.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising generating the prediction function by at least:
accessing training data associated with a set of users who play the video game; and
applying the training data to the machine learning algorithm to generate the prediction function.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein predicting the match retention value further comprises modifying a weight of a parameter of the prediction function based on the indication that the first user and the second user desire to play the instance of the video game together.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to determining that an updated match retention value corresponding to the updated match plan satisfies the match retention threshold, the method further comprises executing the instance of the video game using the updated match plan.

14. A system comprising:
an electronic data store configured to store user interaction data for users of a video game; and
a hardware processor in communication with the electronic data store, the hardware processor configured to execute specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
receive an indication that a first user and a second user desire to play an instance of the video game together;
associate the first user and the second user as a user set;
access first user interaction data associated with the first user's interaction with the video game and second user interaction data associated with the second user's interaction with the video game;
select at least a third user to play the instance of the video game with the user set;
access third user interaction data associated with the third user's interaction with the video game;
form a match plan that includes at least the user set and the third user;
predict a match retention value for the match plan based at least in part on the first user interaction data, the second user interaction data, the third user interaction data, and the existence of the user set, the retention value associated with an amount of time that users included in the match plan are predicted to play the video game; and
substitute at least one of the third user or each of the users included in the user set with other users that have indicated a desire to play the instance of the video game to obtain an updated match plan when determining that the match retention value does not satisfy a match retention threshold.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first user and the second user are assigned fixed roles within the match plan as opponents or teammates based on the indication that the first user and the second user desire to play the instance of the video game together, and wherein the third user is not assigned a fixed role within the match plan.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute specific computer-executable instructions to at least execute the instance of the video game with users included in the match plan when determining that the match retention value does satisfy the match retention threshold.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
predict a user retention value for the third user based at least in part on the third user interaction data; and
substitute at least one of the third user or each of the users included in the user set with other users that have indicated a desire to play the instance of the video game to obtain the updated match plan when determining that the user retention value for the third user does

Assignees

• Electronic Arts Inc
• Electronics Arts Inc

Inventors

• Aghdaie Navid
• Kolen John
• Mattar Mohamed Marwan
• Sardari Mohsen
• Xue Su
• Zaman Kazi Atif-Uz

Classifications

• A63F13/795 Primary

  for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list · CPC title

• A63F13/75

  Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players · CPC title

• A63F13/73 Primary

  Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity · CPC title

• A63F13/48

  Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session · CPC title

• A63F13/79 Primary

  involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories · CPC title