a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

initiating a social network including a plurality of members of the social network and a plurality of computer devices for operating gaming programs;

receiving, from the plurality of computer devices, hardware statistics associated with a plurality of gamers that play the gaming programs and performance factors;

receiving stimulus signals generated by one or more gaming accessory devices associated with gamers of the plurality of gamers;

generating substituted stimulations based on the stimulus signals, including substituting a stimulation for a received standard stimulus signal to personalize operation of the one or more gaming accessory devices;

combining the hardware statistics and the performance factors that are received to generate a plurality of hardware profiles, each respective hardware profile of the plurality of hardware profiles being associated with a respective gamer of the plurality of gamers;

presenting a hardware profile that is associated with a gamer of the plurality of gamers to a portion of the plurality of members of the social network;

presenting an interface to a member of the social network, the interface configured to identify performance criteria for selected gamers of the plurality of gamers;

and

alerting the member of the social network if the gamer of the plurality of gamers achieves the performance criteria of interest for the selected gamers.