Systems and Methods for Identifying Virtual Entities in a Virtual Environment

A method of identifying virtual entities for competitive or cooperative gameplay in a virtual gaming environment, the method comprising:

• establishing a virtual entity for use by a first user in a virtual environment;
• placing the virtual entity in a lobby associated with the virtual environment;
• receiving a selection of a gameplay mode from the first user;
• initiating a matchmaking search to identify other virtual entities controlled by other users by determining if one or more characteristics of the first user or the first user's virtual entity respectively matches one or more characteristics of the other virtual entities or the other users;
• when no matching virtual entities are identified, reducing a threshold for determining if one or more characteristics of the first user or the first user's virtual entity respectively matches one or more characteristics of the other virtual entities or the other users;
• continuing the reducing of the threshold a predetermined number of times, each reduction increasing the likelihood of identifying of one or more matching virtual entities;
• if no matching virtual entities are identified after reducing the threshold the predetermined number of times, presenting the first user a choice of an alternative gameplay mode;
• if one or more matching virtual entities are identified, receiving a selection by the first user of one or more of the identified matching virtual entities;
• requesting acceptance of an invitation to the users of the identified one or more matching virtual entities to participate in a game with the first user in the virtual environment;
• and
• initiating gameplay in the virtual environment with the first user's virtual entity and accepting ones of the one or more of the selected matching virtual entities.

A computer system providing a virtual gaming environment for competitive or cooperative gameplay of virtual entities, the system comprising:

• a server device and associated software for hosting a virtual gaming environment;
• a data storage for storing virtual entities for use by corresponding users in the virtual environment;
• a computing device and associated software associated with the server device and data storage for providing a virtual lobby associated with the virtual environment, a first user's virtual entity placed in the lobby prior to gameplay in the virtual environment;
• an engine associated with the computing device and configured to conduct a matchmaking search to identify other virtual entities controlled by other users by determining if one or more characteristics of the first user or the first user's virtual entity respectively matches one or more characteristics of the other virtual entities or the other users;
• wherein the engine is further configured to:
• reduce, when no matching virtual entities are identified, a threshold for determining if one or more characteristics of the first user or the first user's virtual entity respectively matches one or more characteristics of the other virtual entities or the other users,
• continue reducing the threshold a predetermined number of times, wherein each reduction increases the likelihood of identifying one or more matching virtual entities, and
• if one or more matching virtual entities are identified, receive a selection by the first user of one or more of the identified matching virtual entities;
• and
• wherein the server device is configured to initiate gameplay in the virtual environment with the first user's virtual entity and one or more of the selected matching virtual entities.