Abstract: A service that receives feedback from players in a game playing service. The service provides an aggregation of the feedback so that a reputation score can be determined by various players in the system. The service takes into account direct feedback from other players about positive and negative experiences with a particular player and expectations about appropriate conduct and type of game being played before a player joins the game session.

Abstract: Groups are formed, in a computer-based (e.g., on-line) gaming environment, based on social relationships between players. Teams are formed from members of the group. Team formation is based on a game related interest. Each team is assigned an identity that is maintained within a single game and across multiple sessions of a game. The team can interact within the gaming environment much like an individual user can interact. Teams can play games with other in-group and out-of-group teams. Team members can play games with each other. Team statistics and achievements can be accumulated and aggregated. Team profiles provide information about the team, such as a list of the members of the team. Via team profiles, a member of a team can see information about other members of the team, such as other teams to which they belong. Team members can send and receive intra-team messages.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a game achievements system where players are rewarded with game achievements based on mastering certain in-game facets of the games they play. Each game achievement may be conveyed in a profile as a badge or trophy, title, description, date, etc. Players may also accumulate points based on game achievements. A display interface may be made available such that a player may see his achievements and total points, as well as those of others.

Abstract: Information is shared among users in a system by the use of a service. The service receives information from at least two different game applications that each have a configuration file (defined with a common schema) that defines information from the game application to share with a service. An intermediary program executing on a computer that is also executing one of said game applications receives information from the application as defined by said configuration files and stores at least a portion of the information received from the application. At least a portion of the information is sent to the service when the intermediary is in communication with the service over a network wherein the service provides information about a user of said at least two game applications based on information received by said service.

Abstract: Groups are formed, in a computer-based (e.g., on-line) gaming environment, based on social relationships between players. Teams are formed from members of the group. Team formation is based on a game related interest. Each team is assigned an identity that is maintained within a single game and across multiple sessions of a game. The team can interact within the gaming environment much like an individual user can interact. Teams can play games with other in-group and out-of-group teams. Team members can play games with each other. Team statistics and achievements can be accumulated and aggregated. Team profiles provide information about the team, such as a list of the members of the team. Via team profiles, a member of a team can see information about other members of the team, such as other teams to which they belong. Team members can send and receive intra-team messages.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a game achievements system where players are rewarded with game achievements based on mastering certain in-game facets of the games they play. Each game achievement may be conveyed in a profile as a badge or trophy, title, description, date, etc. Players may also accumulate points based on game achievements. A display interface may be made available such that a player may see his achievements and total points, as well as those of others.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a game achievements system where players are rewarded with game achievements based on mastering certain in-game facets of the games they play. Each game achievement may be conveyed in a profile as a badge or trophy, title, description, date, etc. Players may also accumulate points based on game achievements. A display interface may be made available such that a player may see his achievements and total points, as well as those of others.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a single sign in a gaming console that associates online activity that is out-of-game/cross game, and/or online activity that is in-game, and/or activity that is offline and in-game with that account. While online, a service tracks activity of gamers and provides usage statistics in a profile. While offline, the game console tracks the player's activity via a mechanism to collect detailed information about a specific player's in-game statistics and accomplishments. The offline activity is cached and uploaded when the console connects to the online service. Players can accumulate achievements offline that are credited towards online activities.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a game achievements system where players are rewarded with game achievements based on mastering certain in-game facets of the games they play. Each game achievement may be conveyed in a profile as a badge or trophy, title, description, date, etc. Players may also accumulate points based on game achievements. A display interface may be made available such that a player may see his achievements and total points, as well as those of others.

Abstract: Mechanisms for visual identification of a user in a gaming environment. For example, a digital image is used to identify a user, whether the user is on-line or off-line. This digital image is easily verifiable as an appropriate and non-offensive image because it May come form a controlled digital image source (or set of sources). The digital image is also revocable in a variety of gaming environment contexts by a gaming authority. Lastly, the digital image is changeable depending on the context of the gaming environment, in one aspect, being configured to be visible to the entire gaming environment in one form, and being visible to a subset of the gaming environment in another form.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a single sign in a gaming console that associates online activity that is out-of-game/cross game, and/or online activity that is in-game, and/or activity that is offline and in-game with that account. While online, a service tracks activity of gamers and provides usage statistics in a profile. While offline, the game console tracks the player's activity via a mechanism to collect detailed information about a specific player's in-game statistics and accomplishments. The offline activity is cached and uploaded when the console connects to the online service. Players can accumulate achievements offline that are credited towards online activities.

Abstract: A multilevel online tournament is provided. The first tournament round has a single bracket and each subsequent tournament round has a winners bracket and a losers bracket corresponding to a bracket in the previous tournament round. The tournament format allows players to match-up against any other player located within the same bracket. The online tournament format also allows participants to start playing match in a round of the tournament prior to the official start of that round. Thus, players are able to more quickly advance through the tournament and spend less time waiting for a suitable opponent. The tournament format also allows for players to request available tournament byes and to automatically progress when they are unable to connect with other players due to quality of service issues.

Abstract: A matchmaking service that selects matches based on personal/social characteristics as well as skill and experience. The service takes into account direct feedback from other players about positive and negative experiences with a particular player and expectations about appropriate conduct and type of game being played before a player joins the game session.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a single sign in a gaming console that associates online activity that is out-of-game/cross game, and/or online activity that is in-game, and/or activity that is offline and in-game with that account. While online, a service tracks activity of gamers and provides usage statistics in a profile. While offline, the game console tracks the player's activity via a mechanism to collect detailed information about a specific player's in-game statistics and accomplishments. The offline activity is cached and uploaded when the console connects to the online service. Players can accumulate achievements offline that are credited towards online activities.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a single sign in a gaming console that associates online activity that is out-of-game/cross game, and/or online activity that is in-game, and/or activity that is offline and in-game with that account. While online, a service tracks activity of gamers and provides usage statistics in a profile. While offline, the game console tracks the player's activity via a mechanism to collect detailed information about a specific player's in-game statistics and accomplishments. The offline activity is cached and uploaded when the console connects to the online service. Players can accumulate achievements offline that are credited towards online activities.

Abstract: Official results for an online game session are determined by an arbitration server based upon reports received from each game console participating in the game session. The reports provide results for all of the players participating in the games session. Before starting the game session, each game console registers the players using it with the gaming service, so that a player who disconnects mid-game can be identified. If the results reported differ, predefined arbitration rules are applied to determine the official results. If a game console cannot report because it is being packet bombed, a different protocol is used to transmit a data packet to the arbitration service indicating that the gaming console is being packet bombed. While not required, the arbitration server can use historical data recorded for each player to apply the predefined arbitration rules in determining the official results.

Abstract: A multilevel online tournament is provided. The first tournament round has a single bracket and each subsequent tournament round has a winners bracket and a losers bracket corresponding to a bracket in the previous tournament round. The tournament format allows players to match-up against any other player located within the same bracket. The online tournament format also allows participants to start playing match in a round of the tournament prior to the official start of that round. Thus, players are able to more quickly advance through the tournament and spend less time waiting for a suitable opponent. The tournament format also allows for players to request available tournament byes and to automatically progress when they are unable to connect with other players due to quality of service issues.

Abstract: A trust rating factor (TRF) based upon data collected for players participating in previous online games sessions is used in determining official results for an online game session when different results are reported by the participants. Counters corresponding to each of a plurality of parameters related to conditions that arise during or at the end of a game session are employed in determining the TRF for each player. For example, if one of the players may have experienced a packet bombing that interrupted normal data communication, a counter related to that condition will be incremented for all players in the game session. If all of the players report results that are consistent at the end of the game session, the TRF of each player is improved. A separate TRF is determined for each game title in which a player participates.

Abstract: A multilevel online tournament is provided. The first tournament round has a single bracket and each subsequent tournament round has a winners bracket and a losers bracket corresponding to a bracket in the previous tournament round. The tournament format allows players to match-up against any other player located within the same bracket. The online tournament format also allows participants to start playing match in a round of the tournament prior to the official start of that round. Thus, players are able to more quickly advance through the tournament and spend less time waiting for a suitable opponent. The tournament format also allows for players to request available tournament byes and to automatically progress when they are unable to connect with other players due to quality of service issues.

Abstract: A user profile for an online gaming service is created. The user profile contains user gaming information received from a first location. The user profile is stored in a database, and the user is permitted to access the user profile from a second location.