Abstract: A selection to use a customer-generated matchmaking algorithm is received, by a multi-tenant gaming service, from a first customer. Indications of a plurality of video game player matchmaking requests and corresponding player characteristic data are provided, by the multi-tenant gaming service, for processing by the customer-generated matchmaking algorithm. An indication of a first player match determined by the customer-generated matchmaking algorithm, based on the video game player matchmaking requests and the player characteristic data, is received, by the multi-tenant gaming service. The first player match may be between at least a first player and a second player. Execution of a first video game session to which the first player and the second player are connected is hosted, by the multi-tenant gaming service.

Abstract: A game-hosting service of a service provider network is configured to place game sessions on fleets of virtual machine (VM) instances using a value-based approach. In order to place a game session on a fleet, the game-hosting service may determine one or more attributes of the game session request, such as player attributes and/or game attributes. The game-hosting service may also determine available fleets of VM instances allocated to a subscriber associated with the game session request, which may be located across disparate geographical regions. A value(s) may be determined based on the attributes of the game session request, and the value(s) may be used to select a fleet of the available fleets for hosting the game session.

Abstract: A multi-region game server fleet may span a plurality of computing regions including a home computing region and one or more remote computing regions. A fleet management service operating in the home computing region may receive a request to perform a modification to the multi-region game server fleet, such as adding an additional remote computing region, removing an existing remote computing region, or making a configuration change. The modification may be performed, at least in part, by one or more region specific worker processes hosted in the home region. The fleet management service operating in the home computing region may also receive a request to perform an interaction with a specific remote region game server. An instruction corresponding to the interaction may be transmitted, by a region-specific computing function hosted in the home region, to the specific remote region game server.

Abstract: A multi-region game server fleet may span a plurality of computing regions including a home computing region and one or more remote computing regions. A fleet management service operating in the home computing region may receive a request to perform a modification to the multi-region game server fleet, such as adding an additional remote computing region, removing an existing remote computing region, or making a configuration change. The modification may be performed, at least in part, by one or more region specific worker processes hosted in the home region. The fleet management service operating in the home computing region may also receive a request to perform an interaction with a specific remote region game server. An instruction corresponding to the interaction may be transmitted, by a region-specific computing function hosted in the home region, to the specific remote region game server.

Abstract: A game-streaming service of a service provider network is configured to assign virtual machine (VM) instances to game streaming requests using a value-based approach. In order to assign a VM instance to a game streaming request for streaming a game to a client device of a player associated with the game streaming request, the game-streaming service may determine one or more attributes of the game streaming request, such as player attributes and/or game attributes. The game-streaming service may also determine available VM instances allocated to a subscriber associated with the game streaming request, which may be located across disparate geographical regions. A value(s) may be determined based on the attributes of the game streaming request, and the value(s) may be used to select one of the available VM instances for streaming the game as part of a corresponding game session.

Abstract: A matchmaker (e.g., matchmaking software) may be implemented as a number of matchmaker shards, where each shard can potentially run on a different host within a service provider network. Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for dynamically adjusting a shard count associated with a given matchmaker of a subscriber during runtime, the shard count dictating a number of matchmaker shards used for assigning players to matches of a game. Adjustment of the shard count may be based on metrics that are usable to determine whether the current number of matchmaker shards is/are “overloaded”, and, if so, the shard count can be increased, or whether the current number of matchmaker shards are “underloaded”, and, if so, the shard count can be decreased.

Abstract: A game-streaming service of a service provider network is configured to assign virtual machine (VM) instances to game streaming requests using a value-based approach. In order to assign a VM instance to a game streaming request for streaming a game to a client device of a player associated with the game streaming request, the game-streaming service may determine one or more attributes of the game streaming request, such as player attributes and/or game attributes. The game-streaming service may also determine available VM instances allocated to a subscriber associated with the game streaming request, which may be located across disparate geographical regions. A value(s) may be determined based on the attributes of the game streaming request, and the value(s) may be used to select one of the available VM instances for streaming the game as part of a corresponding game session.

Abstract: A game-hosting service of a service provider network is configured to place game sessions on fleets of virtual machine (VM) instances using a value-based approach. In order to place a game session on a fleet, the game-hosting service may determine one or more attributes of the game session request, such as player attributes and/or game attributes. The game-hosting service may also determine available fleets of VM instances allocated to a subscriber associated with the game session request, which may be located across disparate geographical regions. A value(s) may be determined based on the attributes of the game session request, and the value(s) may be used to select a fleet of the available fleets for hosting the game session.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for a game-hosting service of a service provider network to dynamically determine a number of processes that are permitted to concurrently execute on an instance based on health values that indicate performances of the processes running on the instance. The game-hosting service may periodically or continuously receive health values from the instance, or multiple instances in a fleet of instances, and determine whether additional processes may be permitted to run, or if less processes may be permitted to run, on the instance based on the performance of the processes that are concurrently running on the instance. In this way, instances may dynamically be permitted to concurrently execute additional processes, or less processes, to help ensure that computing resources are being efficiently utilized, but also while maintaining acceptable performance for processes (e.g., game sessions) that are hosted on the instances.

Abstract: A game-hosting service of a service provider network is configured to dynamically adjust a batching interval used to assign processes to game session requests in batches of processes. The adjustment of the batching interval may be based on a level of contention resulting from operations to assign processes to game session requests. With the batching interval adjusted, the game-hosting service may queue one or more incoming game session requests received during the batching interval, query a data store for available processes after a lapse of the batching interval, assign ones of the available server processes to the game session request(s), and instruct the assigned processes to host corresponding game sessions. Dynamically adjusting the batching interval in this manner allows high volume games to benefit from added throughput, while lower volume games can benefit from quicker latency.

Abstract: A quick or limited matching process can be used to quickly get players of a gaming application into an active game session. In order to improve the quality of the match for a subsequent game session, a longer-running match process can be utilized while players are engaged in a current game session. A pool of players likely to be available around the time at which a current game session will end is determined. The longer-running match process can analyze the data for the player pool to determine matches of players for one or more future game sessions. Information for these sessions can be provided to the relevant players, who are then enabled to join in the respective sessions. Such a process provides for more flexibility and accuracy in the matching process without extending the player wait times endured.

Abstract: This document relates to tracking the adoption of a data feed. For example, a feed of items is sent to a referral network site. The feed includes some of the items sold through an electronic commerce network site. The referral network site refers a plurality of customers to the electronic commerce network site. The referral includes feed generation information. A determination is made whether the feed has been adopted by the referral network site based upon the feed generation information.

Abstract: An ad system is described for providing ad selections in response to an ad presentation opportunity. The ad system can use multiple content providers to generate multiple sets of ad candidates. The content providers can apply different ad selection paradigms in generating their sets of ad candidates. The paradigms may act on different aspects of a context pertaining to the ad presentation opportunity. A chooser module and filtering module can cull the set of ad selections from among the plural sets of ad candidates. At least one content provider uses machine learning functionality in generating ad candidates, such as a Naïve Bayesian approach, an affiliate similarity approach, etc. Various content providers also find application in a stand-alone mode.

Abstract: An ad system is described for providing ad selections in response to an ad presentation opportunity. The ad system can use multiple content providers to generate multiple sets of ad candidates. The content providers can apply different ad selection paradigms in generating their sets of ad candidates. The paradigms may act on different aspects of a context pertaining to the ad presentation opportunity. A chooser module and filtering module can cull the set of ad selections from among the plural sets of ad candidates. At least one content provider uses machine learning functionality in generating ad candidates, such as a Naïve Bayesian approach, an affiliate similarity approach, etc. Various content providers also find application in a stand-alone mode.