Content Synchronization

1 . A method, executed on a game content management server, for unlocking content in a game, the method comprising:

providing the game via a gaming network, the gaming network comprising one of an Internet network, a cable television network, or an interactive television network, wherein a portion of the game is locked and inaccessible to a player of the game;

providing, an identifier to a television program provider for inclusion during a television program broadcast;

receiving the identifier from the player via the gaming network;

validating the identifier; and

unlocking the portion of the game if the identifier is valid and making the portion of the game accessible to the player.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein unlocking comprises:

determining if a timer has expired; and

unlocking the portion of the game only if the timer has not expired.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the identifier based on the timer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the game that is unlocked is based on the identifier.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier unlocks multiple locked portions of the game associated with other identifiers.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein unlocking the portion of the game is synchronized to the identifier being broadcast on the television program.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein unlocking the portion of the game can occur only after the identifier is broadcast on the television program.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the identifier to the television program for broadcast comprises emailing the identifier to a television show provider before the broadcast for insertion into the television show.

9 . A method, executed on a game content management server, for unlocking access to a portion of a game provided over an Internet network, the method comprising:

providing a first portion of the game over the Internet network;

transmitting an identifier via a television program or interactive television program;

receiving the identifier from a player; and

unlocking access to a second portion of the game based on the identifier.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the access that is unlocked is Internet access to the second portion of the game.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

preventing Internet access to the second portion of the game before transmitting the identifier.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein unlocking comprises:

determining if a timer has expired; and

unlocking Internet access to the second portion of the game if the timer has not expired.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the unlocking step comprises:

validating the identifier after receiving it; and

unlocking access to the second portion of the game if the identifier is valid.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein different identifiers unlock access to different second portions of the game.

15 . A method, executed on a server, comprising:

providing a first version of a game on a web page, the first version not comprising an additional locked portion of the game;

determining if a predetermined timer associated with a television program had elapsed;

refreshing the web page if the predetermined timer has elapsed; and

replacing the first version of the game with a second version of the game that includes the additional locked portion,

wherein the additional portion is unlockable only if a player provides an unlock identifier.

16 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, for unlocking content in a game, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

provide the game via a gaming network comprising one of an Internet network, a cable television network, or an interactive television network, wherein a portion of the game is locked and inaccessible to a player of the game;

provide an identifier to a television program for broadcast;

receive the identifier from the player via the gaming network;

validate the identifier; and

unlock the portion of the game if the identifier is valid and make the portion of the game accessible to the player.

17 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, for unlocking access to a portion of a game provided over an Internet network, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

provide a first portion of the game over the Internet network;

transmit an identifier to a television program or interactive television program for broadcast;

receive the identifier from a player; and

unlock access to a second portion of the game based on the identifier.

18 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, for providing a game comprising an additional locked portion of the game, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

provide a first version of the game on a web page, the first version not comprising the additional locked portion;

determine if a predetermined timer associated with a television program had elapsed;

refresh the web page if the predetermined timer has elapsed; and

replace the first version of the game with a second version of the game that includes the additional locked portion, wherein the additional locked portion is unlockable only if a player provides an unlock identifier.

19 . A system for unlocking content in a game, the system comprising:

a game content management server to provide the game via a gaming network comprising one of an Internet network, a cable television network, or an interactive television network, wherein a portion of the game is locked and inaccessible to a player of the game;

a transceiver to transmit an identifier to a television program show provider for inclusion of the identifier in a television program broadcast;

a receiver to receive the identifier from the player via the gaming network; and

a validation engine in signal communication with the game content management server that determines if the identifier is valid;

wherein the game content management server:

(i) unlocks the portion of the game if the validation engine determines the identifier is valid; and

(ii) makes the portion of the game accessible to the player.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the game content management server unlocks the portion of the game only if a timer has not expired.

21 . A system for unlocking access to a portion of a game provided over an Internet network, the system comprising:

a transceiver to transmit an identifier to a television program show provider or interactive television program for inclusion of the identifier in a program broadcast;

a receiver to receive the identifier from a player; and

a game content management server to:

provide a first portion of the game over the Internet network; and

unlock access to a second portion of the game based on the identifier.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the game content management server unlocks access to the second portion of the game if a timer has not expired.

23 . A system for providing a game comprising an additional locked portion, the system comprising:

a web server configured to:

provide a web page comprising a first version of the game that does not include the additional locked portion of the game;

determine if a predetermined timer associated with a television program has elapsed;

refresh the web page if the predetermined timer has elapsed; and

replace the first version of the game with a second version of the game that includes the additional locked portion; and

an unlock module configured to:

receive an unlock identifier;

validate the unlock identifier; and

unlock the additional locked portion of the game.