With $20 billion in annual revenue in the United States alone, the gaming industry is a behemoth in the way people spend their free time. Technology continues to evolve that makes gaming even more inviting and social – and the way developers implement big data has plenty to do with the success the industry is seeing.
Big data has improved the gaming experience for the players too. Here’s how:
Better intuition
Video games haven’t suddenly developed mind-reading skills but they can certainly anticipate what users want and when. Gamers leave a huge data trail as they play and it informs developers. Particularly when it comes to mobile gaming, developers know how many people abandon games if early levels are too tough or higher levels are too easy. They also know how long people are playing, if they are syncing the game through social media (which is a whole other data pool), and what items gamers are willing to pay for within the gaming experience.
Better reality
Advancements like virtual and augmented reality bring a bolder, more realistic world to gamers that keeps them more engaged and for longer spans of time. As these vivid graphic technologies continue to evolve, expect the future of gaming to include even more players who spend even more time interacting with their virtual worlds.
Better continuity
One of the most important advances in gaming technology over the past half-decade is the ability to continue games across devices and from anywhere with an internet connection. This cloud access to gaming is not available on all games or systems, but has seen enough demand that these options will continue to increase.
More Random
Online casino rely on random number generators. Unfortunately, the first generation of RNGs weren’t very sophisticated and didn’t provide random numbers at all. Big data has drastically improved the quality of RNGs, which has improved the playing experience.
Better feedback
Not so long ago, game developers would release their console or computer based creations and let sales numbers dictate how the next ones were designed. Today, thanks to big data, developers have all sorts of metrics to tell them what is working and what is failing when it comes to game design. From creating streaming console games to launching mobile apps to building online slots, developers look at several metrics that go beyond revenue generated. Perhaps the most valuable of all this big data feedback is the game’s “stickiness” or the amount of time people are willing to play in one sitting. This data can’t definitively predict the next big gaming hit but it can certainly give developers a more educated guess as to where to start.
Better quality
Gamers have come to expect games that not only entertain them, but that deliver top-notch storytelling whether in an online casino or a role-playing virtual reality console. The technology of gaming has evolved so rapidly since today’s adults were growing up that a certain level of expert delivery is not the exception – it’s the bare minimum. Big data helps developers create high quality gaming experiences by knowing “who” the gamers are more than ever before and their gaming preferences. The ability to customize experiences based on the gamer is still evolving but will soon become a reality thanks to the information available through big data tracking.
How do you think big data has improved the gaming experience?
