It’s no wonder that business leaders are starting to fully embrace the promise of big data, given the gaming industry’s continuing growth. The gaming industry is following other industries’ footsteps in attempting to increase the amount of data collected during online activities. Big data also enables the video game industry to personalize its service to customers, whether it’s determining which types of marketing to utilize or determining which types of golf sports players to include in their game design.
While the term “big data” is relatively new, the act of gathering and storing massive volumes of data for later analysis has been practiced for centuries. As a result, modern applications can be both mind-boggling and enthralling. Google, for example, maintains track of our searches and actions in other apps like Gmail, maps, translate, drive, documents, and, of course, YouTube, and uses the information to create user profiles, which they then sell to their clients.
Let’s now turn our attention to the video gaming industry and see some examples of how data is shaping the gaming world. Below we can see the journey that data is helping the industry from the very beginning right through to the end.
Idea Process
Publishers can use data analytics to make informed decisions on long-term business models. For example, publishers will determine which games are popular, why they are popular, and how to use data to improve their own games using data analytics. Popular freemium games like Fortnite and PUBG are a perfect illustration. Publishers can utilize data analytics to figure out what draws gamers in, why they spend money, how much time they spend playing, and so on. Then, the publisher can use this information to inform their own long-term business goals and models.
Publishers will plan their businesses over a long period. As a result, publishers will shift their focus from short-term profit tactics to long-term business models. A good example is Microsoft’s acquisition of Minecraft in 2014, which was a controversial decision. On the other hand, Minecraft has thrived under Microsoft, with over 122 million copies sold and a monthly user population of 55 million. In addition, the software behemoth revealed intentions to make Minecraft a 100-year brand.
Design
Graphics, narrative, and innovation are no longer sufficient. Game creators must adjust the game to how players behave to keep them involved. Developers must understand how players interact with game systems, how they interact with levels, how much time they spend playing when they stop playing, and why they stop playing. The data is beneficial in multiplayer games, as players frequently exploit bottlenecks in levels or exploit system weaknesses to kill player involvement.
If developers have access to data, they can make changes to remedy errors, improve gameplay, and maintain player engagement. Millions of players’ actions are recorded by data analytics software platforms, which generate helpful information about how players interact in the game. Data analytics software is essential because it allows developers to collect real-time data on player actions. As a result, developers don’t have to rely on user comments or wait until a problem becomes a significant issue before taking action. Instead, developers can track player movement in real-time, discover flaws, and remedy them nearly instantly.
Marketing
Any sector, including the video game industry, relies heavily on marketing. As a result, if publishers want to see significant sales, game marketers and advertising must have a substantial effect. When gamers are exposed to irrelevant advertisements, they are less likely to make future purchases, resulting in a waste of resources. As a result, gamers must receive ads that are relevant to them. As a result, publishers must divide their audiences based on their geography, preferences, and other factors. But how do publishers segment a multi-million-person audience? It’s simple: data analytics.
SAS and other powerful analytics solutions may segment an audience based on any variable. As a result, publishers may segment their audiences and create advertising that appeals to each group. For example, developers can examine who is spending the most money on microtransactions or who is playing the game for a long time and what motivates their activities. This data can then be utilized to create programs that encourage other participants to spend more money. In addition, publishers can develop loyalty schemes to reward specific gamers in the same way.
While data-driven companies are succeeding, any company that ignores data will fall behind its competition. Gaming firms have begun to establish a data-driven culture to make big data analytics perform optimally. To have the most impact, data collection, integration of internal and external data sources, visualization, and cleansing should come before analysis. While the industry’s big names have already used data to their advantage. Even smaller players have plenty of room to target regions where there is still room. There are numerous gaming types to choose from, ranging from racing to open-world games.