Apparatus and method for generating a stream-recommendation

1 . An apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:

receive, from a requesting device, a stream-recommendation request associated with a player profile;

in response to the stream-recommendation request, select one or more available game streams from a list of available game streams in dependence on the player profile;

generate a stream recommendation indicating the selected one or more available game streams;

output the stream recommendation to the requesting device in response to the stream-recommendation request;

receive, from the requesting device, a stream-selection signal indicative of a selected game stream of the one or more available game streams;

make the selected game stream available to the requesting device in response to the stream-selection signal; and

prevent, when making the selected game stream available to the requesting device, at least a portion of the player profile from being revealed to a broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the one or more available game streams in dependence on game preferences indicated in the player profile.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the game preferences identify one or more games of interest selected by a player associated with the player profile.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the one or more available game streams in dependence on a skill level indicated, for at least one identified game, on the player profile.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing circuitry is responsive to the stream-selection signal to:

determine whether a broadcast of the selected game stream has begun; and

in response to determining that the broadcast of the selected game stream has not begun, send a broadcast-start signal to the broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast,

wherein the broadcast-start signal comprises a request to begin broadcasting the selected game stream.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive, from one of the requesting device and the broadcasting device, a friend request indicating a request for to connect a streaming player associated with the requesting device with a broadcasting player associated with the broadcasting device; and

forward, responsive to receiving the friend request, the friend request to the other of the requesting device and the broadcasting device.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive, from the requesting device, a two-way-share request indicating a request to include, in the selected game stream, an additional game stream associated with a streaming player, the streaming player being associated with the requesting device; and

forward, responsive to the two-way-share request, two-way-share request to the broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is responsive to a stream-record request to record at least a portion of the selected game stream and to store the recorded portion of the selected game stream to storage circuitry.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing circuitry is configured to receive a game-start indication identifying a given player and a given game being played by the given player, the game-start indication indicating that the given player has begun playing the given game;

the processing circuitry is responsive to the game-start indication being received to determine whether a given player profile associated with the given player indicates that broadcasting is permitted for the given game; and

the processing circuitry is configured to add, in response to determining that the given player profile indicates that broadcasting is permitted for the given game, a corresponding game stream to the list of available streams.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing circuitry is configured to select, for each of the one or more available game streams, at least one category; and

the processing circuitry is configured to indicate, in the stream recommendation, the at least one category selected for each game stream.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein

the processing circuitry is configured to select the at least one category in dependence on at least one of:

a geographical location of the broadcasting device from which the game stream is to be broadcast; and

a skill level of a broadcasting player associated with the broadcasting device.

12 . A method comprising:

receiving, from a requesting device, a stream-recommendation request associated with a player profile;

in response to the stream-recommendation request:

selecting one or more available game streams from a list of available game streams in dependence on the player profile;

generating a stream recommendation indicating the selected one or more available game streams; and

outputting the stream-recommendation to the requesting device;

receiving, from the requesting device, a stream-selection signal indicative of a selected game stream of the one or more available game streams;

making the selected game stream available to the requesting device in response to the stream-selection signal; and

preventing, when making the selected game stream available to the requesting device, at least a portion of the player profile from being revealed to a broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising:

receiving, from a requesting device, a stream-recommendation request associated with a player profile;

in response to the stream-recommendation request:

selecting one or more available game streams from a list of available game streams in dependence on the player profile;

generating a stream recommendation indicating the selected one or more available game streams; and

outputting the stream-recommendation to the requesting device;

receiving, from the requesting device, a stream-selection signal indicative of a selected game stream of the one or more available game streams;

making the selected game stream available to the requesting device in response to the stream-selection signal; and

preventing, when making the selected game stream available to the requesting device, at least a portion of the player profile from being revealed to a broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

selecting the one or more available game streams in dependence on game preferences indicated in the player profile.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the game preferences identify one or more games of interest selected by a player associated with the player profile.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

selecting the one or more available game streams in dependence on a skill level indicated, for at least one identified game, on the player profile.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining whether a broadcast of the selected game stream has begun responsive to the stream-selection signal; and

upon determining that the broadcast of the selected game stream has not begun, sending a broadcast-start signal to the broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving, from one of the requesting device and the broadcasting device, a friend request indicating a request for to connect a streaming player associated with the requesting device with a broadcasting player associated with the broadcasting device; and

upon receiving the friend request, forwarding the friend request to the other of the requesting device and the broadcasting device.

19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving, from the requesting device, a two-way-share request indicating a request to include, in the selected game stream, an additional game stream associated with a streaming player, the streaming player being associated with the requesting device; and

responsive to the two-way-share request, forwarding the two-way-share request to the broadcasting device from which the selected game stream is broadcast.

20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

responsive to a stream-record request, recording at least a portion of the selected game stream and to store the recorded portion of the selected game stream to storage circuitry.