In a US patent filed in 2015 and approved yesterday, Activision outlines an online matchmaking system designed to "drive microtransactions in multiplayer video games" and "influence game-related purchases."

Patent #9789406, for a "System and method for driving microtransactions in multiplayer video games," describes a number of matchmaking algorithms that a game could use to encourage players to purchase additional in-game items. "For instance, the system may match a more expert/marquee player with a junior player to encourage the junior player to make game-related purchases of items possessed/used by the marquee player," the patent reads. "A junior player may wish to emulate the marquee player by obtaining weapons or other items used by the marquee player."

An Activision representative told Glixel (which first unearthed the patent) that the filing was merely an "exploratory" effort from a disconnected R&D team and that such a system "has not been implemented in-game" yet. But the patent itself shows a decent amount of thought being put into various ways to maximize the chances of players purchasing in-game items based on their online gameplay partners.

Such matching would be based largely on "the potential interest of the in-game item to the first player, and... the possession of the in-game item by the second player" according to the patent, and it could be activated during "a subsequent gameplay session that caters to use of the in-game item."

Potential interest in an in-game item would be determined by "an express preference" or a "derived preference... based on a gameplay history." For example, "the junior player may wish to become an expert sniper in a game (e.g., as determined from the player profile). The microtransaction engine may match the junior player with a player that is a highly skilled sniper in the game." The engine could also push items based on "usefulness." For instance, "an in-game item that may be suited for a particular level that the player has repeatedly failed may be identified."

After a purchase, the matchmaking system could "encourage future purchases by matching the player... in a gameplay session that will utilize the game-related purchase," according to the patent. "Doing so may enhance a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases."

As publishers increasingly turn to post-launch content like loot boxes and DLC to try to drag more revenue out of players, it's natural they'd at least look into these kind of algorithmic methods for increasing those purchase rates in online games. That said, the idea of matchmaking to raise revenues rather than to connect players of similar skill is likely to rub some players the wrong way.