Abstract: Gaming systems and methods for accumulating designated symbols, wherein the form of the designated symbols accumulated as well as the quantity of designated symbols accumulated determine whether to activate a feature in one or more plays of a first game or trigger a secondary event, such as a win of a progressive award.

Abstract: A gaming system including a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes zero, one or more upgrades in association with zero, one or more shifting symbols. Upon an occurrence of an upgrade event, the gaming system upgrades one or more aspects or attributes of one or more games played. In certain embodiments, such upgrades pertain to upgrading one or more symbols displayed at one or more symbol display positions of one or more symbol display position grids. In certain other embodiments, such upgrades pertain to upgrading the award evaluation of one or more symbols displayed at one or more symbol display positions of one or more symbol display position grids. In certain other embodiments, such upgrades pertain to upgrading one or more attributes or features of one or more bonus or secondary games which are subsequently triggered.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for individually activating zero, one or more features in association with one or more elements or parameters of a play of a game. In these embodiments, upon an occurrence of a feature activation determination sequence triggering event, the gaming system enables a player to participate in a feature activation determination sequence to individually determine, for one or more displayed elements of a play of a game, whether or not to individually activate one or more features in association with such displayed elements for the play of the game.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a gaming system having a plurality of gaming devices. Each of the gaming devices enables a player to make wagers on plays of a primary game. For each gaming device, for each occurrence of a designated accumulation outcome, the player of that gaming device accumulates one or more positions on a bonus game display matrix. When a bonus game trigger occurs, the triggering gaming device is identified. In the bonus game, a plurality of symbols are displayed in the plurality of positions of the bonus game display matrix. The player of the triggering gaming device is provided with any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations formed by the displayed symbols. Additionally, for each assigned position of the bonus game display matrix that displays a symbol which is part of a winning symbol combination, a participation award is provided to the player assigned to that position.

Abstract: A gaming system displays a plurality of spaced-apart selections each associated with a masked award. One or more selectors are each associated with one or more players, and are visible to each player. The selectors are moveable amongst the spaced-apart selections based on a plurality of player inputs. For a play of the game, the players provide inputs to move the selectors amongst the spaced-apart selections. During such movement, the gaming system temporarily reveals the award associated with any spaced-apart selection in the vicinity of any selector to at least one player, such as the player whose selector is near the selection. After the play of the game has ended (e.g., based on an amount of elapsed time), the gaming system provides awards to the players based on the ending positions of the one or more selectors with respect to the plurality of spaced-apart selections.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a gaming system and method modifying of one or more options provided to a player based on the player's previously chosen options. When a triggering event occurs, the gaming system displays an indication of each of a first plurality of options and enables the player to choose one of the first plurality of options. The gaming system stores player choice data representing the player's chosen one of the first plurality of options. Upon an occurrence of one or more modification events, the gaming system modifies the first plurality of options based at least in part on which of the first plurality of options were previously chosen by the player. Following a subsequent occurrence of the triggering event, the gaming system displays an indication of each of the modified first plurality of options and enables the player to choose one of the modified first plurality of options.

Abstract: A gaming system which includes a game sequence, such as a free game sequence, which enables a player to selectively apply modifiers after viewing the results of games. For a game associated with an available modifier, following the display of the results of that game, the gaming system enables the player to either utilize the available modifier for that game or accumulate another modifier to be potentially utilized for another game. If the player selects to utilize the available modifier, the gaming system modifies one or more aspects of the play of the game to result in a modified game outcome and/or a modified game award. If the player selects to not utilize the available modifier, the gaming system accumulates another modifier for the player, wherein the other modifier may or may not be subsequently utilized by the player to modify any designated aspects of a subsequent play of the game.

Abstract: A gaming system and method including a plurality of gaming devices that may participate in a shared secondary or bonus game and a controller operable to communicate with said plurality of gaming devices. At least one of the plurality of gaming devices is programmed to generate and accumulate collectors upon an occurrence of a first triggering event. Upon an occurrence of a second triggering event at one of the gaming devices, the controller enables a player of said gaming device to redeem a quantity of accumulated collectors in a bonus event. The controller also enables the player to invite other gaming devices from the plurality of gaming devices to redeem accumulated collectors and participate in said bonus event. The odds of each player earning a higher-valued total award in the bonus event increases with the total number of accumulated collectors redeemed in the bonus event.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes a plurality of virtual players. Display data corresponding to the SVE is transmitted to each player device. The data includes user display data that causes a display in the player device to render a portion of the SVE based on a virtual orientation of the player device and a virtual location of the virtual player in the SVE. Sensory feedback data is then transmitted to the plurality of VR devices that causes each VR device to provide a sensory indication associated with the SVE to the respective player. The sensory indication is indicative of a benefit that will be provided to a subset of the plurality of players at a predetermined future time. At the predetermined future time, the benefit is then provided to the subset of the plurality of players.

Abstract: A computer implemented method includes providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes multiple virtual electronic wagering game machines (vEGMs), transmitting VR data corresponding to the SVE to a virtual reality (VR) device that is associated with a player. The VR data includes user display data that causes a display in the VR device to render a portion of the SVE based on an orientation of the VR device and a location of the VR device in the SVE. The method includes receiving, from the VR device, tracking information that is generated by multiple sensors that are configured to provide information corresponding to the player, and responsive to receiving the tracking information, transmitting updated VR data that causes the display to display a virtual interaction with one of the vEGMS in the SVE.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a bonus game customizable with features of one or more primary games. In various embodiments, the gaming system may trigger the customizable bonus game in association with a play of any one of a plurality of different primary games, each of which includes one or more features. Before providing a play of the customizable bonus game, the gaming system modifies the customizable bonus game to include one of the features of the primary game that triggered the customizable bonus game that is not included in any of the other primary games. The modification is in addition to at least one prior modification of the customizable bonus game. Thus, the gaming system enables a player to customize the combination of features included in the customizable bonus game by playing a variety of different primary games.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a slot game and enabling accumulation of graphical image symbols. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to accumulate graphical image symbols during play of the slot game and, when a complete set of the graphical image symbols is accumulated such that a graphical image associated with that complete set is displayed, provides a feature to the player. The gaming system of the present disclosure thus encourages players to continue play of the slot game to attempt to accumulate a complete set of the graphical image symbols such that the gaming system provides the feature.

Abstract: The disclosed gaming system displays an arrangement of symbols including a plurality of symbol positions. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a randomly generated symbol in each symbol position. One or more of the symbols are displayed as associated with a directional indicator indicating a shift direction for that symbol. If any winning symbol combination is displayed, the gaming system shifts at least one symbol within the symbol matrix according to the directional indicator associated with that symbol, such as by shifting the symbol as designated distance in the shift direction indicated by the symbol's directional indicator. In one embodiment, the gaming system removes one or more symbols in the shift path of a shifting symbol. In one embodiment, the gaming system generates and displays new symbols in the then-empty symbol positions of the symbol matrix and repeats the determination, shifting, and generation.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method for permanently increasing the average expected payback percentage of a game for a player. The gaming system is configured to operate a game associated with one or more designated point thresholds, each of which is associated with a quantity of points. The gaming system maintains a point balance for the player for the game. Upon an occurrence of a point accumulation event, the gaming system adds a quantity of points to the player's point balance for the game. When the player's point balance for the game reaches one of the designated point thresholds, the gaming system permanently modifies a feature of the game and/or adds a new feature to the game. In various embodiments, the modification to the feature and/or the new feature permanently increases the average expected payback percentage for the game for that player.

Abstract: Gaming systems and methods providing a community selection game providing bonus game selection. In one embodiment, for each gaming device in the gaming system, when a triggering event occurs, the gaming system provides a player of that gaming device with a player identifier that uniquely identifies that player. The community selection game includes a plurality of bonus game identifiers each identifying a bonus game. The bonus game identifiers each include a limited quantity of bonus game player identifier display areas. The gaming system enables the players to place earned or received player identifiers at the bonus game player identifier display areas. When each bonus game player identifier display area of one of the displayed bonus game identifiers displays a player identifier, the players associated with those player identifiers are provided with one or more plays of the bonus game identified by that bonus game identifier.

Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device and gaming method provides a plurality of sequential player events in which the player must take an action in a designated period of time and where the player has less time to take the action in each subsequent event.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing an award based on adding symbols to additional symbols display positions of a symbol display position matrix.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a skill-based wagering game.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing an award based on matching symbols.

Abstract: A gaming system which enables a player to selectively participate in a retriggered free game sequence. Following a free game triggering event, the gaming system initiates a free game sequence including a quantity of free games. If a free game retriggering event occurs in association with the initiated free game sequence, the gaming system enables a player to participate in a retriggered free game sequence or forgo the retriggered free game sequence in exchange for a modification of the remaining free games of the initiated free game sequence.