With technology continuing to evolve at breakneck speed, every single day seems to offer new opportunities to those who know how to utilize it. This can most certainly be said about game developers. Besides expanding through acquisitions, video game companies are now also strengthening their hold on users by analyzing their gaming data – and figuring out exactly what drives them to continue playing. Below, we’ll dive into how they’re doing this, how gamers can utilize the data themselves and the ethics of it all.
How are game developers using data?
With the right data about their users in their hands, game developers are able to create a much smoother gaming experience customized to fit players’ needs. Say, for instance, there’s a glitch or an issue at a certain point in a game. If developers can see from their collected data that players stop at a certain level despite there being many more, or if several users report the error, the developers will know it needs to be fixed.
Furthermore, user data can be utilized to personalize ads, helping game developers monetize their games in a way that’s more meaningful for their users. The data also offers developers valuable feedback by tracking in-game messaging, allows them to adjust difficulty levels to fit the average player – and much more.
How gamers can utilize collected data
While it may seem like this collection of data is solely benefitting developers, it can also be put to good use by gamers themselves. Of course, most companies practicing data collecting will emphasize that users’ main benefit from it is a customized gaming experience and ads that fit their preferences. But if you know where to look, you can also use this data to improve your own performance in your favorite games.
Take, for instance, casino games: If you want to improve your betting skills, you can track your own slot data with tools like Slot Tracker. To make better casino bets with Slottracker, you simply use their extension to track your spins and register your hit rate, RTP, bonus frequency, etc. – allowing you to monitor which tactics work and which don’t, track your gambling expenses and more.
The pros and cons
Data collecting is a complex process that presents us with many ethical dilemmas. The obvious one, of course, is the issue of privacy. While the laws regulating the area may vary from country to country, the EU has required all organizations to comply with their General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) since May 2018. However, whether these regulations are enough or too strict is still an ongoing debate between consumers and corporations.
Another dilemma – especially when it comes to casino games – is whether the way data is being used enables addiction. When online casino gamers are able to closely monitor their gambling data and improve their performance, many of them will make even more bets to see if their new strategies are working – thus risking bigger losses and not being able to quit. Data collection can also enable other forms of addiction: If a user is, e.g., struggling with a shopping addiction, personalized ads could make refraining from impulse purchases much more difficult.
But whether we like it or not, data collection and analysis seems to be here to stay. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to take good care of yourself online. If you’re experiencing signs of addiction, reach out to a relevant hotline in your country – and make sure you know your rights to your data.