Friend recommendation system based on an active social network

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing social network information of a player of a computer-implemented game;

identifying, using at least one processor of a machine, one or more active players from the social network information, with the one or more active players being limited to players respectively having more than a threshold number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within an elapsed time period, each of the in-game actions being determined to be reciprocated when it is identified that a first one of the players performed a first in-game action with respect to a second player, and the second player thereafter performed a second in-game action in response to the first in-game action within a time length, the first and second players each having a respective game instance comprising a separate unique game space, the player being one of the first and second players;

determining an active social network of the player from the one or more active players;

identifying from the social network information one or more non-active players as players with a number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within the elapsed time period is below the threshold number;

identifying one or more of the non-active players with at least one unreciprocated in-game action with the player within the elapsed time period;

identifying one or more of the non-active players who were previously included in the active social network of the player;

generating a recommendation of one or more recommended players to the player based at least in part on

the one or more active players,

the one or more non-active players,

the one or more non-active players with the number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within the elapsed time period is below the threshold number,

the one or more non-active players with at least one unreciprocated in-game action with the player within the elapsed time period, and

the one or more non-active players who were previously included in the active social network of the player; and

generating a communication message to the one or more non-active players, the communication message comprising an invitation to join the player in the computer-implemented game.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a recency of reciprocated in-game actions between the player and another player from the social network information of the player by measuring a length of time elapsed since a last reciprocated communication between the player and said another player.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying of the one or more non-active players comprises identifying from the social network information players who are outside the active social network of the player.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the active social network of the player is determined for the computer-implemented game, the method further comprising:

identifying a social network of players outside the active social network of the player for another computer-implemented game.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the communication message further comprises:

an offer of a virtual gift to be redeemed by a recipient of the communication message in the computer-implemented game; or

an offer of a reward to be redeemed by the recipient of the communication message.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

accessing social network information of a player of a computer-implemented game;

identifying, using at least one processor of a machine, one or more active players from the social network information, with the one or more active players being limited to players respectively having more than a threshold number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within an elapsed time period, each of the in-game actions being determined to be reciprocated when it is identified that a first one of the players performed a first in-game action with respect to a second player, and the second player thereafter performed a second in-game action in response to the first in-game action within a time length, the first and second players each having a respective game instance comprising a separate unique game space, the player being one of the first and second players;

determining an active social network of the player from the one or more active players;

identifying from the social network information one or more non-active players as players with a number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within the elapsed time period is below the threshold number;

identifying one or more of the non-active players with at least one unreciprocated in-game action with the player within the elapsed time period;

identifying one or more of the non-active players who were previously included in the active social network of the player;

generating a recommendation of one or more recommended players to the player based at least in part on

the one or more active players,

the one or more non-active players,

the one or more non-active players with the number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within the elapsed time period is below the threshold number,

the one or more non-active players with at least one unreciprocated in-game action with the player within the elapsed time period, and

the one or more non-active players who were previously included in the active social network of the player; and

generating a communication message to the one or more non-active players, the communication message comprising an invitation to join the player in the computer-implemented game.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining a recency of reciprocated in-game actions between the player and another player from the social network information of the player by measuring a length of time elapsed since a last reciprocated communication between the player and said another player.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the identifying of the one or more non-active players comprises identifying from the social network information players who are outside the active social network of the player.

9. A system comprising:

at least one processor of a machine;

an active social network module configured to:

access social network information of a player of a computer-implemented game;

identify one or more active players from the social network information, with the one or more active players being limited to players respectively having more than a threshold number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within an elapsed time period, each of the in-game actions being determined to be reciprocated when it is identified that a first one of the players performed a first in-game action with respect to a second player, and the second player thereafter performed a second in-game action in response to the first in-game action within a time length, the first and second players each having a respective game instance comprising a separate unique game space, the player being one of the first and second players;

determine an active social network of the player from the one or more active players;

identify from the social network information one or more non-active players as players with a number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within the elapsed time period is below the threshold number;

identify one or more of the non-active players with at least one unreciprocated in-game action with the player within the elapsed time period;

identify one or more of the non-active players who were previously included in the active social network of the player;

generate a recommendation of one or more recommended players to the player based at least in part on

the one or more active players,

the one or more non-active players,

the one or more non-active players with the number of reciprocated in-game actions with the player within the elapsed time period is below the threshold number,

the one or more non-active players with at least one unreciprocated in-game action with the player within the elapsed time period, and

the one or more non-active players who were previously included in the active social network of the player; and

generate a communication message to the one or more non-active players, the communication message comprising an invitation to join the player in the computer-implemented game.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the active social network module is further configured to:

determine a recency of reciprocated in-game actions between the player and another player from the social network information of the player by measuring a length of time elapsed since a last reciprocated communication between the player and said another player.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the active social network module is further configured to:

to identify the one or more non-active players by identifying from the social network information players who are outside the active social network of the player.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the active social network module is further configured to:

identify a social network of players outside the active social network of the player for another computer-implemented game.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the communication message further comprises an offer of a virtual gift to be redeemed by a recipient of the communication message in the computer-implemented game, or an offer of a reward to be redeemed by the recipient of the communication message.