泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌 [A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity] The fourth industrial revolution and the gaming industry (Part2)

泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌

[A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity]

The fourth industrial revolution and the gaming industry (Part2)

May. 03. 2018.

In part2, I'd like to take a look at Artificial intelligence (AI), big data technology, and blockchain.

  First of all, speaking of machine intelligence, an AI game character in online gaming was taken a helper to make up the numbers for team play, and users used to make fun of the player who does badly compare to an AI character who is not good at playing the game. But new machine learning-based AI characters will differ from existing ones. By comparison with artificial stupidity, the advanced ones will show delicate movements like a human being according to the given situation. Taking advantage of intelligence demonstrated by machines, game developers can offer whole new experiences for users, drive new revenue streams and business models, or pioneer a new genre of game as well. Developers would let AI devise new strategies in a strategic game and online gaming fans can enjoy e-sport matches between AI players, or gamers may not visit user communities anymore for team play because of a brand-new AI-character business model. And, in the not-too-distant future, a fresh game in which a player needs to rapidly bring up an AI character to reach a particular goal may launch.

  Secondly, one of the most important thing of big-data analysis is that it is based on not causality but a correlation among large data sets. Data analysis was used to identify the causes to produce useful results—improvement of problem or performance—in an old marketing strategy. However, an unexpected result that has nothing to do with a cause may be presented by analyzing big data. For instance, anyone can predict that the umbrella sells well if it rains. But it's not easy to prove causation; "Why are click-through rates and downloads of banner ads on automobile communities increased after its rains the day before?" or "Why are retention rates of NRU (New Registered User) decreased with a notice for an event coming next month?"—these data patterns only demonstrate the correlation between two random variables. Businesses will able to serve clients better through differentiated marketing strategies and customer service by apprehending not only the exact casual relationship but also interrelation.

  Finally, there are lots of possibilities for blockchain. To summarize the video game-related part, it promotes the value of intellectual property rights. Due to the nature of digital content, there is no difference between the original and a replica. However, cryptography-linked technology can allow us to distinguish the original from replicas. It means that the rightful owners will be protected in different ways from unauthorized use without permission. An increasing number of intellectual property rights have been created and promoted in the gaming industry. Blockchain technology will enhance the value of not only the IPR of digital content but a video game.

 As mentioned earlier, the gaming industry is the front-runner in the digital content market. And 4IR-based advanced technologies are changing digital businesses. I expect that the domestic gaming industry will be advanced with the times.

※ This is from Kyunghyang Games column by 泥中蟠龍 since September 2013.

   (http://www.khgames.co.kr)

   Translation by Kim Ki-hui