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Winna Media Opinions & Editorial
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Gamification – the critical driver for next-gen players
The role of gamification and how it works with tokenisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the development of gaming products will be one of the hot topics up for discussion at Winna Media’s AI in Gaming Investment Seminar in Bangkok on 25 November.
These days, no one’s disputing that applying gamification to products is critical to attracting the next generation of players. Simply placing bets or feeding slots is now regarded as passive play; it will involve players, but it won’t engage them. They want to earn points, climb levels, go on quests and see themselves at the top of leaderboards.
It involves a shift in focus; instead of pure chance, players are interactively involved in a progression; it puts them at the centre of an experience that mirrors their gameplay on other platforms.
Taking token measures
In this context, tokenisation means providing players with in-game assets, currencies and experiences in the form of digital tokens to make that gamification come alive. Maybe it’s providing skins that reshape the appearance of in-game objects without affecting their value or performance, or by providing credits. Whatever the format, tokenisation facilitates interoperability between games or ecosystems, facilitates tradability between different markets and online economies, as well as provides transparency to players in terms of their transactions and the rewards they can win.
AI takes what gamification and tokenisation bring to the party and uses it to design and develop games. That’s everything from designing game levels, the themes and experiences of slot machines and how to pattern the delivery of bonus rounds.
Fine-tuning game play
Models can be tailored to the play of individual users, with everything fine-tuned to order, from the degree of difficulty, bonus triggers and the look and feel. These sorts of customer refinements can also extend to AI-generated ‘live’ dealers and customer support resources that act as virtual hosts for games. The behaviours of high-value players can also be used to create highly targeted marketing and retention strategies.
This customisation extends to dynamic gauging of reward rates to maintain customers’ attention and excitement levels. And predictive models that simulate the economics within token-based games can mitigate against the inflation of virtual currencies.
Advocates might also cite how this level of personal insight can be used to detect problem gaming behaviours and trigger recommendations on how to play within agreed limits, or through caps on expenditure.
Returning to how players’ experiences can be enhanced, game developers are using the dynamics thrown up by gamification, tokenisation and AI development in several ways.
They include generating landscapes, structures and dialogues that far exceed the aesthetics of ‘traditional’ games and which meet the expectations of generations brought up on sophisticated video games.
Players’ data can be analysed in real time to trigger offers, tailored promotions, challenges and safety interventions as needed. Tokenisation allows the building of wide-ranging loyalty programmes operating in the same way that retail brands allow their ‘frequent buyer’ points to be used across their portfolio of stores, partnerships and online platforms.
Keeping on the regulators’ side
The gaming industry is no different to any other consumer service provider when it comes to wanting to exploit the clear advantages of tokenisation and AI-driven gamification.
It’s also well aware of the need to bring the regulators along with them. European Union and UK officials, in particular, are championing the rollout of explainability and fairness audits for AI-driven gambling products through looming legislation. The result is that developers want to be crystal-clear that they’re not using AI-driven personalisation to manipulate players, as well as showing that transparency and responsible gaming are key drivers for them.
The sector also must show that the financial features introduced by tokenisation are fully in compliance with KYC and AML frameworks to demonstrate that they want to provide safe and transparent gaming.
Gamification, tokenisation and AI development have the potential to accelerate the development and personalisation of gaming at an unprecedented speed, particularly if the industry ensures it is keeping its stakeholders close to the process.
