Social player selection for multiplayer electronic games

Abstract

The dynamic selection of players for a gaming session, or users for an application session, can be based at least in part upon player relationship data. Social graph data can be maintained that indicates game experience that particular users have shared in prior game sessions. This relationship data can be used with other selection criteria, such as similar skill level or complementary play characteristics, to select players for a gaming session that are familiar to a specific player, enabling the player to have recurring experience with similar players in order to build relationships with those players and help to develop a sense of community within the game, which can improve the user experience and thus utilization of the game. Other factors can be considered as well, such as whether players have connected or blocked each other through a social network or gaming environment.