Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for managing multiplayer play among a first player and at least one second player, where a first mode of multiplayer play is defined such that a game server selects the second player by: (i) selecting candidates by consulting a player database of information concerning a plurality of other players, (ii) sending invitations to the selected candidates to be the selected second player, (iii) receiving acceptances of the invitations from the candidates; and (iv) selecting the second player from among the candidates from whom acceptances were received; and where a second mode of multiplayer play is defined such that the game server selects the second player by consulting a player database of information concerning the plurality of other players, without consideration of an invitation to, or an acceptance from, the selected second player.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for managing multiplayer play among a first player and at least one second player, where a first mode of multiplayer play is defined such that a game server selects the second player by: (i) selecting candidates by consulting a player database of information concerning a plurality of other players, (ii) sending invitations to the selected candidates to be the selected second player, (iii) receiving acceptances of the invitations from the candidates; and (iv) selecting the second player from among the candidates from whom acceptances were received; and where a second mode of multiplayer play is defined such that the game server selects the second player by consulting a player database of information concerning the plurality of other players, without consideration of an invitation to, or an acceptance from, the selected second player.

Abstract: A game server includes: a multiplayer play request acknowledging unit operative to acknowledge, from a game device of a player, a request for a multiplayer play where a game is played between a game device of a requesting player and a game device of another player; a selection unit operative to select a first mode or a second mode of multiplayer play, the first mode being a mode where a multiplayer play is played with a player accepting the request for a multiplayer play, and the second mode being a mode where a selected player is forced to play in a multiplayer play; a friendly mode matching unit and a hostile mode matching unit operative to refer to a player database storing information on players and select a player to play the requested multiplayer play; and a requesting unit operative to notify the selected player's game device of the selected mode and requests the game device thus notified to start the requested multiplayer play.

Abstract: A game server includes: a multiplayer play request acknowledging unit operative to acknowledge, from a game device of a player, a request for a multiplayer play where a game is played between a game device of a requesting player and a game device of another player; a selection unit operative to select a first mode or a second mode of multiplayer play, the first mode being a mode where a multiplayer play is played with a player accepting the request for a multiplayer play, and the second mode being a mode where a selected player is forced to play in a multiplayer play; a friendly mode matching unit and a hostile mode matching unit operative to refer to a player database storing information on players and select a player to play the requested multiplayer play; and a requesting unit operative to notify the selected player's game device of the selected mode and requests the game device thus notified to start the requested multiplayer play.