Multi-player online game player proximity feature

1. A computer-implemented method of operation for a multi-player online computer game played by users on portable wireless game-playing devices, wherein each of the portable wireless game-playing devices is located at a respective corresponding physical geographic position, the method comprising:

receiving, via a server, information that indicates the respective corresponding physical geographic position of each of the portable wireless game-playing devices;

storing, via the server, the received information on a hardware medium;

identifying, via the server, a group of users currently playing the same multi-player online computer game with each other on respective portable wireless game-playing devices within a predetermined distance from each other; then

identifying, via the server, another portable wireless game-playing device outside of an area in which the group of users are currently playing the same multi-player online computer game within the predetermined distance from each other, the identifying being based on a distance between the physical geographic position of the other portable wireless game-playing device and the area in which the group of users are within the predetermined distance from each other; and

if the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area is identified, using, via the server, the received information to bring the user of the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area within the area to play the same multi-player online computer game on the respective portable wireless game-playing device with the other users,

wherein using the information to bring the user within the area includes providing information to the portable wireless game-playing device of the user that indicates how the user can come within the predetermined distance from the other users, and

wherein the multi-player online computer game comprises pre-defined game scenarios and a scoring system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the information includes indicating a location where another user is located.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing, via the server, instructions to the user to travel to the location where the other users are located.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the server comprises a game services server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-player online computer game is an athletic game.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining, via the server, information that indicates a skill level of the user of the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area; and

using, via the server, the skill level as a factor when identifying the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-player online computer game is also being played by users on non-portable game-playing devices.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using, via the server, the information that indicates the respective corresponding physical geographic position of each of the portable wireless game-playing devices to determine a density of users of portable wireless game-playing devices in the area; and

providing, via the server, information about the density to the user of one of the portable wireless game-playing devices.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying is further based on an indication of interest to play the multi-player online computer game.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined distance is at most 50 meters.

11. A system for playing a multi-player online computer game played by users on portable wireless game-playing devices, the system comprising:

a game services server; and

an application on the game services server that maintains information indicating current physical positions of the portable wireless game-playing devices and adapted to:

identify one or more users currently playing a same multi-player online computer game on respective portable wireless game-playing devices within an area having predetermined dimensions, then

identify another portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area having the predetermined dimensions in which the one or more users are currently playing the same multi-player online computer game, the identifying of the other portable wireless game-playing device being based on a distance between the physical position of the other portable wireless game-playing device and the area having the predetermined dimensions, and

if the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area having predetermined dimensions is identified, invite the user of the other portable wireless game-playing device to be within the area having the predetermined dimensions to play the same multi-player online computer game with the other one or more users on the respective portable wireless game-playing devices within the predetermined dimensions,

wherein the multi-player online computer game comprises pre-defined game scenarios and a scoring system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the application is further adapted to identify to the user a place where the other one or more users are located.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein to invite includes to provide to the portable wireless game-playing device of the user directions for traveling.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the multi-player online computer game is an athletic game.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the application is further adapted to:

obtain information that indicates a skill level of the user of the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area having the predetermined dimensions, and

use the skill level as a factor when identifying the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the identifying of the other portable wireless game-playing device outside of the area is further based on an indication of interest to play the multi-player online computer game.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the predetermined dimensions include a distance of at most 50 meters.