System and method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming

1. A system for facilitating multiplayer gaming over a computer network, the system comprising:

a computer terminal configured with a client program and a second program;

wherein the client program automatically detects when selected individuals are playing one or more multiplayer games on the computer network,

notifies a user of the games and selected individuals playing the games,

searches for and detects when one or more of the games are executing on the terminal, and

communicates data identifying the running games and the user over the computer network for receipt by selected individuals;

wherein the second program, which is separate from the games executing on the terminal, determines a connection status of the executing games and communicates the connection status to the client program; and

wherein the client program communicates the connection status of the executing games over the computer network for receipt by the selected individuals.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client program assists the user in joining an individual in a game by running an instance of the game on the terminal and connecting the terminal to a location hosting the game.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second program comprises a layered service provider program.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more servers adapted to receive the data and connection status and to communicate the data and connection status to the selected individuals.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the client program further generates a user interface that allows the user to join the individual in a game by selecting an icon.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the program is further adapted to allow the user to send and receive instant messages to and from selected individuals.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the selected individuals include individuals other than the user stored on a friend list created by the user.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the selected individuals include individuals other than the user stored on a friend list created by an individual other than the user stored on a friend list created by the user.

10. A computerized method for facilitating multiplayer games over a computer network, comprising:

searching for and detecting when one or more multiplayer games are executing on a user terminal;

detecting when selected individuals are playing one or more of the multiplayer games on the computer network;

notifying the user of the games and selected individuals playing the games;

detecting, by a separate program, a connection status of the executing games; and

communicating, by the separate program, data identifying the user, executing games and connection status to the selected individuals over the computer network; and

assisting the user in joining an individual in a game by executing an instance of the game on the user terminal and connecting, based on the connection status, the user terminal to an address hosting the game.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

sending and receiving instant messages between the user and the selected individuals.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the selected individuals comprise first individuals contained on a list associated with the user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected individuals comprise second individuals included on a list, other than the user, associated with one or more of the first individuals.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming, the method comprising:

searching for and detecting when one or more multiplayer games are running on a user terminal;

detecting when selected individuals are playing one or more of the games on the computer network;

notifying a user of the games and selected individuals playing the games;

cause a second computer program to execute that determines a connection status of the executing games and communicates the connection status to the data processing apparatus; and

assist the user in joining one of the selected individuals in a game by executing an instance of the game on the user terminal and connecting, based on the connection status, the user terminal to an address hosting the game.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a connection status of the executing games; and

communicating data identifying the user, executing games and connection status to the selected individuals over the computer network.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:

sending and receiving instant messages between the user and the selected individuals.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the selected individuals comprise first individuals included on a list chosen by the user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the selected individuals comprise second individuals included on a list chosen by one or more of the first individuals.

21. A system for facilitating multiplayer gaming over a computer network, the system comprising:

a computer terminal configured with a client program and a second program;

wherein the client program automatically detects when selected individuals are playing one or more multiplayer games on the computer network,

notifies a user that the selected individuals are on the network and the games the selected individuals are playing,

searches the terminal's operating system processes to detect when one or more of the games are executing on the user's terminal and

communicates data identifying the executing games and the user over the computer network for receipt by selected individuals;

wherein the second program, which is not in communication with the games executing on the terminal, determines a connection status of the executing games and communicates the connection status to the client program; and

wherein the client program is further adapted to communicate the connection status of the executing games over the computer network to the selected individuals.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming, the method comprising:

automatically detecting when selected individuals are playing one or more multiplayer games on the computer network, and notifying a user that the selected individuals are on the network and the games the selected individuals are playing;

searching the terminal's operating system to detect when one or more of the games are executing on the user's terminal and communicating data identifying the executing games and the user over the computer network for receipt by selected individuals;

executing a second computer program that determines a connection status of the executing games and communicates the connection status to the data processing apparatus; and

communicating the connection status of the executing games over the computer network to the selected individuals.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 wherein the method further comprises assisting the user in joining one of the selected individuals in a game by executing an instance of the game on the user terminal and connecting, based on the connection status, the user terminal to an address hosting the game.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for facilitating multiplayer online gaming, comprising:

computer-executable instructions for searching for and detecting when one or more multiplayer games are running on a user terminal;

computer-executable instructions for detecting when selected individuals are playing one or more of the games on the computer network;

computer-executable instructions for notifying a user of the games and selected individuals playing the games;

computer-executable instructions to cause a second computer program to execute that determines a connection status of the executing games and communicates the connection status to the data processing apparatus; and

computer-executable instructions to assist the user in joining one of the selected individuals in a game by executing an instance of the game on the user terminal and connecting, based on the connection status, the user terminal to an address hosting the game.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24 , comprising:

computer-executable instructions for detecting a connection status of the executing games; and

computer-executable instructions for communicating data identifying the user, executing games and connection status to the selected individuals over the computer network.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , further comprising:

computer-executable instructions for sending and receiving instant messages between the user and the selected individuals.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 , wherein the selected individuals comprise first individuals included on a list chosen by the user.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the selected individuals comprise second individuals included on a list chosen by one or more of the first individuals.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming, comprising:

computer-executable instructions for automatically detecting when selected individuals are playing one or more multiplayer games on the computer network, and notifying a user that the selected individuals are on the network and the games the selected individuals are playing;

computer-executable instructions for searching the terminal's operating system to detect when one or more of the games are executing on the user's terminal and communicating data identifying the executing games and the user over the computer network for receipt by selected individuals;

computer-executable instructions for executing a second computer program that determines a connection status of the executing games and communicates the connection status to the data processing apparatus; and

computer-executable instructions for communicating the connection status of the executing games over the computer network to the selected individuals.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 , further comprising computer-executable instructions for assisting the user in joining one of the selected individuals in a game by executing an instance of the game on the user terminal and connecting, based on the connection status, the user terminal to an address hosting the game.