Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for recommending content channels for an influencer. The method includes identifying a session of the influencer. The session includes a current content channel being viewed by the influencer and made available for streaming to one or more followers of the influencer. The current content channel is one of a plurality of content channels made available for viewing by the influencer. The method includes accessing, during the session, content data from the plurality of content channels. The content data is associated with gameplay of one or more players engaged in gameplay. The method includes accessing profile data of the followers of the influencer. The profile data includes content preferences of said followers. The method includes predicting engagement metrics for said followers of the influencer in relation to said plurality of content channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for generating a video stream for followers of an influencer during a session. The method includes capturing video images of an environment of the influencer, wherein the environment includes the influencer viewing an online content channel. The method includes detecting surface parameters in the environment and processing the surface parameters to identify three-dimensional features associated with the surface parameter. The method includes identifying a follower that is viewing the influencer. The method includes generating an overlay image for at least one of the surface parameters, the overlay image is configured for dynamic contouring to the identified three-dimensional features during the session.

Abstract: A controller, thumbstick, or system comprising a thumbstick body, a thumbstick shaft coupled to the thumbstick body wherein the thumbstick shaft is configured to retract into the thumbstick body and wherein the thumbstick body and the thumbstick shaft is freely rotatable together around a pivot center within the controller body.

Abstract: A method, system and device for controller operation, comprises detecting a change in a state of the controller from a charging state to an operation state. A state of the computing device changes from a controller charging state to a controller operation state in response to detecting the change in the state of the controller. The computing device receives an input from the controller sends a visual indication of the input to a display device. Additionally, a method, system and device for enhanced controller charging, may comprise detecting a change in a controller state from an operation state to a charging state. A computing device determines whether an ignore input is present after detecting the change in controller state and automatically signs out of a user account or automatically goes into a standby mode when the ignore input is not present.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving engagement metrics of a spectator include identifying a group of spectators watching game play of a video game and generating an aggregate group profile for the group. Engagement metrics for the group are analyzed to identify engagement level of the group toward the game play of the player. One or more suggestions are provided to adjust game play of the video game so as to improve engagement level of the group toward the game play of the video game.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program tie physical events to virtual events by analyzing motion information from a detecting device or analyzing contextual information, initiating a virtual event with a display device in response to detecting an impending change in center of mass motion of a user from analyzing the motion information or contextual information, and associating a virtual event with subsequent motion information from the detecting device.

Abstract: A method, system, computer readable media and cloud systems are provided for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator. One example method includes enabling a spectator to view into a virtual reality environment, and control what specific content within the environment the spectator wishes to see. Motions of an HMD worn by an HMD player can be tracked so as to provide a geared spectator view into the virtual reality environment. The gearing of the spectator view enables a spectator to view the virtual reality content in a more normal way which is not tied to the strict movements of the HMD worn by the HMD player. The gearing effects can be programmable or can be set based on the content being navigated by the HMD player or preferences of the individual spectators.

Abstract: Methods and systems for spectating a live video game are presented. In one method embodiment, an operation includes providing an interface for presenting an overhead view of an interactive environment of a video game on a head mounted display (HMD). The method also provides an operation for providing a magnifying window for displaying a magnified view of the interactive environment, where the magnified view is associated with a second vantage point that is closer to the interactive environment than is a first vantage point of the overhead view. The method further provides an operation for tracking a real-world position of a controller of the spectator and moving the location of the magnifying window to correspond to the real-world position of the controller.

Abstract: A method, system, computer readable media and cloud systems are provided for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator. One example method includes generating a virtual reality environment to be rendered for a head mounted display (HMD) of an HMD player. The HMD player is provided with an HMD view that is controlled by movement of the HMD by the HMD player. Then, providing a spectator view into the virtual reality environment. The spectator view is associated with a viewing spot directed into the virtual reality environment. The viewing spot is decoupled from the HMD view. In some examples, multiple viewing spots are pre-authored and the spectator is provided with different ones of the viewing spots as the HMD players move around the virtual reality environment.

Abstract: Two virtual reality (VR) systems are calibrated to share a common reference frame using a calibration step in which multiple VR users clap each other's hands. As two players do so, spikes are detected in the motion data when their hands come in contact. The spikes are used to effect timing synchronization of the disparate systems to align the motions.

Abstract: A method for displaying a video game to spectators includes receiving votes from spectators to remove a player from a video game. The method also includes determining whether the number of votes received to remove the player from the video game meets a threshold level required to trigger removal of the player from the video game. If the number of votes received to remove the player from the video game meets the threshold level required to trigger removal of the player from the video game, the method includes generating a command configured to cause the player to be removed from the video game. The method also can include animating the removal of the player and providing visual cues to other players or spectators as to why the player was removed from the video game.

Abstract: A method is provided, including the following operations: analyzing gameplay data and spectator data from previous sessions of a video game, wherein the analyzing is configured to correlate a spectator preference to a gameplay condition of the video game; using the correlated spectator preference to generate an in-game recommendation for the gameplay condition; identifying the gameplay condition occurring in a current session of the video game; responsive to identifying the gameplay condition occurring in the current session, then presenting the in-game recommendations to a player of the current session of the video game.

Abstract: Methods for simulating a source of sound are provided. One method includes determining, by a computer, a location in physical space of a head of a user. The location is determined by capturing images by a camera of the physical space in which a user is located. The method further includes determining a sound for delivery to two speakers worn by the user and determining, by the computer, an emanating location in the physical space for the sound. The method further includes establishing, by the computer, acoustic signals for each speaker based on the location in the physical space of the head, the sound, the emanating location in the physical space, and a selected auditory characteristics of the user. The auditory characteristics of the user are identified based on a calibration process. The method further includes transmitting, by the computer, the acoustic signals to the two speakers. The acoustic signals simulate that the sound originated at the emanating location in space.

Abstract: A method for displaying a video game to spectators includes receiving votes from spectators to remove a player from a video game. The method also includes determining whether the number of votes received to remove the player from the video game meets a threshold level required to trigger removal of the player from the video game. If the number of votes received to remove the player from the video game meets the threshold level required to trigger removal of the player from the video game, the method includes generating a command configured to cause the player to be removed from the video game. The method also can include animating the removal of the player and providing visual cues to other players or spectators as to why the player was removed from the video game.

Abstract: Methods and systems for spectating a live video game are presented. In one method embodiment, an operation includes providing an interface for presenting an overhead view of an interactive environment of a video game on a head mounted display (HMD). The method also provides an operation for providing a magnifying window for displaying a magnified view of the interactive environment, where the magnified view is associated with a second vantage point that is closer to the interactive environment than is a first vantage point of the overhead view. The method further provides an operation for tracking a real-world position of a controller of the spectator and moving the location of the magnifying window to correspond to the real-world position of the controller.

Abstract: A method is provided, including the following operations: presenting on a display device a virtual scene including a virtual character, the display device disposed in a local environment; providing a view of the local environment through a head-mounted display, the view through the head-mounted display including the display device and the virtual scene being presented thereon; animating the virtual character to show the virtual character moving from the virtual scene presented on the display device to the local environment as viewed through the head-mounted display, wherein the animating includes transitioning, from rendering the virtual character as part of the virtual scene presented on the display device, to rendering the virtual character as an augmented element in the view of the local environment provided through the head-mounted display.

Abstract: Methods and systems for spectating a live video game are presented. In one embodiment, a method for performing an automated catch-up to a player is provided. The method includes providing an interface for presenting a first view of a video game on a client device where the first view has a first vantage point and includes a game player. The method includes an operation for providing a portal within the interface for presenting a second view of the game object, the second view having a second vantage point. The method further includes an operation for moving the second vantage point toward the game object within the portal. Additionally, the method provides an operation for removing the portal.

Abstract: A method for reducing latency in execution of a game is described. The method includes receiving via a computer network a user input associated with the game and determining from the user input a current state of the game. While the current state of the game is being determined, the method includes predicting a next state of the game based on the user input and one or more predicted user inputs. The method further includes generating one or more predicted image frames from the next state, determining whether the one or more predicted user inputs are received via the computer network, and sending the one or more predicted image frames in response to receiving the one or more predicted user inputs to reduce the latency in execution of the game.

Abstract: A watermark representing a link to an original video and/or metadata such as haptic metadata associated with the original video is embedded in the original video in such a way that a re-recording to the original video can still preserve the watermark. The watermark can be used to link to the original video or to the metadata related thereto.

Abstract: A component such as a streaming gaming service creates two streams, a first stream for people with accessibility requirements and a second stream without. If desired, to reduce the number of streams that must be generated, the first stream may be rendered in an “everything on” mode in which motion stabilization is implemented on the video to reduce the perception of camera shakiness, and the second stream may be rendered in a “player's choice” mode without motion stabilization. Alternatively, metadata of the video can indicate whether and what accessibility features should be applied on the receiver end.