Provision of contact center services to players of games

A system for use in a networked multiplayer game comprising:

• a) a game server operating a game engine, said game engine providing to a player a controllable representation of a game character in a game environment whereby said player may control said controllable representation of a game character to interact with said game environment;
• b) within said game environment, a mechanism operable by controllable representations of game characters to initiate a request for contact with a contact center agent;
• c) a request generator which, upon operation of said mechanism by said controllable representation of a game character of said player, issues a request to a contact center external to said game;
• d) a waiting environment accessible to said game engine, whereby subsequent to the operation of said mechanism by said controllable representation of a game character, the game environment experienced by said controllable representation of a game character is modified to simulate said waiting environment and, upon receiving from the contact center an indication of a wait time parameter at the contact center, said simulation of said waiting environment is modified on the basis of said indication of a wait time parameter while the player is awaiting being placed in communication with an agent of said contact center;
• e) a communications interface for providing a communications channel between an agent of said contact center and said game environment;
• and
• f) communications direction means for directing said communications channel to the game environment in a locality of said controllable representation of a game character whereby said player and said contact center agent may communicate within the game environment;
• and
• g) means for providing, in the game environment, a visual representation of an agent character and directing said communications channel to said agent character, wherein said agent character is controlled by said agent.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed in a networked multiplayer game system are effective to:

• a) provide to a player a controllable representation of a game character in a game environment whereby said controllable representation of a game player may control said character to interact with said game environment;
• b) provide, within said game environment, a mechanism operable by controllable representations of game characters to initiate a request for contact with a contact center agent;
• c) upon operation of said mechanism by said controllable representation of a game character of said player, issue a request to a contact center external to said game;
• d) subsequent to the operation of the mechanism by said controllable representation of a game character, modifying the game environment experienced by said controllable representation of a game character to simulate a waiting environment;
• e) receiving from the contact center an indication of a wait time parameter at the contact center;
• f) modifying said simulation of said waiting environment on the basis of said indication of a wait time parameter while the player is awaiting being placed in communication with an agent of said contact center;
• g) open a communications channel between an agent of said contact center and said game environment;
• h) direct said communications channel to the game environment in a locality of said controllable representation of a game character whereby said player and said contact center agent may communicate within the game environment;
• and
• i) provide, in the game environment, a visual representation of an agent character and direct said communications channel to said agent character, wherein said agent character is controlled by said agent.