Big data is a term that keeps popping up in various industries, and it’s used to explain the large and complex datasets generated daily by businesses. Big data’s impact extends beyond numbers and statistics, and is really starting to shape the gaming industry. We’ll see the crucial role big data can play in the gaming industry from its uses in creating personalized gameplay to how it gets used in making informed business decisions.
The gaming industry has seen a surge in growth and popularity which we see in the approximately 2.5 billion players the industry has globally. Let’s take a look at how big data has contributed to this growth.
- Online casinos: Big data plays an important role in improving online casinos as it helps these businesses understand market trends to overtake their competitors. In addition, data helps sites offer players what they want and customize offers to suit each individual player. New betting sites, in particular, often use data to get ahead of the competition. Gambling expert Vlad Grindu confirms that sometimes new betting sites may outshine established brands (source: https://www.techopedia.com/gambling/online-casinos/new). While this may be due to a mix of reasons, one of the keys to success in the busy online betting market is reviewing data in order to know what consumers want.
- Video games: There is a lot of data inside game files with information that reveals trends in the video game market. That is why we’re seeing a market-driven shift to better graphics and online multiplayer gaming options that increase customer engagement according to a 2023 study by Abhinav and Arushi Srivastava.
In both video and casino gaming, big data helps businesses understand player insights and personalization. Big data has been an important tool for game developers who use it to analyze player behavior and preferences. This information is used to understand patterns in gamer playstyles, time spent in-game, and even how gamers interact with each other. Game developers use this knowledge to create personalized gaming experiences that are relevant to individual players. These personalized experiences can include tailored quest suggestions, automatic adjustments to difficulty levels, or in-game purchase recommendations.
When it comes to game development, big data is used in almost every part of the game. Game developers use bug report data to track user-reported glitches and other bugs that get logged in the game files. Developers also track data from in-game chats and interactions. All interactions between gamers generate data that helps developers assess player satisfaction.
Data also helps businesses make decisions and monetize games. In the gaming industry, big data is not just a buzzword according to the Big Blue Data Academy as it’s an important tool used for crucial business decisions. Here’s how:
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: Game developers scrape large numbers of data about player demographics, engagement metrics, spending patterns, and more. This data is then used for making decisions that range from tweaks in game design to marketing campaigns.
- Freemium Games and Monetization: Big data is an important asset to developers who make freemium games (freemium games are productions where the base game is free but players are allowed to buy in-game items). Big data allows developers to spot popular items, set good prices, and create efficient monetization strategies.
While big data is useful for gaming businesses, it is not without concerns. Collecting big data has ethical issues. Here’s a glimpse into what these are.
- Data Privacy and Security: Gamers are worried that their personal information can be misused or leaked. That’s why maintaining a balance between data collection for game improvement and safeguarding user privacy is important.
- Ethical Dilemmas: There are also ethical issues that come with collecting big data like how much of it is too much. That’s why companies must be careful in navigating the fine line between enhancing games and potentially exploiting players.
