# US 11,998,848 B2 · Unlocking game content based on amounts of collaborative gameplay > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,848 B2 - Document ID: US11998848B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/706,388 - Filed: 2022-03-28 - Published: 2022-07-07 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-06 - Assignees: Kabam, Inc. - Applicants: Kabam, Inc. - Inventors: Clifford J. Harrington; Kent Wakeford - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998848B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/65: automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition - A63F 13/35: Details of game servers - A63F 13/69: by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions - A63F 13/795: for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list - A63F 13/847: Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract This disclosure relates to unlocking game content for users of an online game based on amounts of collaborative gameplay. Groups of users interacting with the online game cooperatively are identified and amounts of cooperative gameplay engaged in by the individual groups are quantified. Content in the online game is made available to the groups of users based on the quantified amounts of cooperative gameplay. In implementations, the quantification of the amount of cooperative gameplay engaged in by the groups is made independent from achievement and/or successful accomplishment of any game objective in the online game by the groups. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming system for rewarding users of an online game based on cooperative gameplay among multiple users, the gaming system comprising: a memory; and game server, the game server comprising: one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: determine a first amount of cooperative gameplay engaged in by a first group of users, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is based on a first amount of time spent by the first group of users during the cooperative gameplay in the online game; determine a first reward, wherein determination of the first reward is based on the first amount of cooperative gameplay without regard to whether the first group of users is successful in achieving any particular game objectives; and reward the first group of users by making the first reward made available to the first group of users. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that determination of the first amount of cooperative gameplay is made independent from achievement and/or successful accomplishment of any particular game objectives in the online game by users in the first group of users. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined based on amounts of cooperative activity by the first group of users towards one or more particular game objectives. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined based on amounts of cooperative activity by the first group of users in the online game as a whole. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is cumulative over a period of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the period of time is the entire in-game life of the users or a sliding window of time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined based on time spent by the users in cooperative activities. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined further based on at least one of number of sessions in which the users participated in cooperative activities, number of cooperative attempts at achieving a particular game objective, and number of times participating in a given cooperative activity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first reward includes at least one of new quests, new map regions, new weapons, new technology, new skills, new troupes, new mounts, and new power-ups available for purchase. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first reward is not available to individual ones of the users for solo gameplay. ### Claim 11 A computer-implemented method for rewarding users of an online game based on cooperative gameplay among multiple users, the method being implemented in a gaming system that includes a game server, the game server including one or more processors, the method comprising: determining a first amount of cooperative gameplay engaged in by a first group of users, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is based on a first amount of time spent by the first group of users during the cooperative gameplay in the online game; determining a first reward based on the first amount of cooperative gameplay without regard to whether the first group of users is successful in achieving any particular game objectives; and rewarding the first group of users by making the first reward made available to the first group of users. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein determination of the first amount of cooperative gameplay is made independent from achievement and/or successful accomplishment of any particular game objectives in the online game by users in the first group of users. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined based on amounts of cooperative activity by the first group of users towards one or more particular game objectives. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined based on amounts of cooperative activity by the first group of users in the online game as a whole. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is cumulative over a period of time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the period of time is the entire in-game life of the users or a sliding window of time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined based on time spent by the users in cooperative activities. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first amount of cooperative gameplay is determined further based on at least one of number of sessions in which the users participated in cooperative activities, number of cooperative attempts at achieving a particular game objective, and number of times participating in a given cooperative activity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first reward includes at least one of new quests, new map regions, new weapons, new technology, new skills, new troupes, new mounts, and new power-ups available for purchase. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first reward is not available to individual ones of the users for solo gameplay.