Videogame system and method that enables characters to earn virtual fans by completing secondary objectives

A computer-implemented method of providing a racing-based videogame to one or more users, wherein the method is implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules, the method comprising:

• executing, on the one or more processors of the computer system, one or more computer program modules configured to stage a race in which a vehicle under control of a controller communicatively linked with the one or more processors participates, wherein staging the race includes rendering views of a racecourse over which the race takes place, and wherein the vehicle is associated with a character in the videogame;
• executing, on the one or more processors of the computer system, one or more computer program modules configured to stage a plurality fan objectives, wherein fan objectives are secondary objectives performable during the race by the vehicle to earn virtual fans for a virtual fanbase of the character, and wherein staging a fan objective comprises inserting an objective icon into views of the racecourse and associating the fan objective with the objective icon;
• executing, on the one or more processors of the computer system, one or more computer program modules configured to trigger activation of a fan objective responsive to performance of a triggering maneuver executed by the vehicle during the race;
• executing, on the one or more processors of the computer system, one or more computer program modules configured to monitor performance of the triggered fan objective by the vehicle;
• executing, on the one or more processors of the computer system, one or more computer program modules configured to determine, responsive to completion of the fan objective by the vehicle, a number of fans earned by the vehicle by virtue of the completed fan objective based on the performance of the vehicle in completing the fan objective;
• wherein staging the race comprises determining whether or not to invite the character to participate in the race, and wherein the determination of whether or not to invite the character to participate in the race is based on the number of virtual fans in the fanbase of the character.