The present technology is directed to a flexible gaming architecture associated or linked with social networks. In some implementations, the flexible architecture facilitates play in a virtual gaming environment associated or linked with a social network, based on actions by users within the social network. The architecture facilitates access to video gaming applications either associated with or linked with social networks in various ways, including 1) directly via social networks or sites, for example, accessed via personal computers; 2) via wall posts or via an online social networking service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts; 3) via mobile devices used to access gaming sites associated with or linked to social networks; and 4) via game consoles configured to access gaming sites either associates with or linked to social networks.