Game publishers should learn how to use data better in 2018

Making a video game is a hard endeavor even in the best of circumstances. Developers have to anticipate an audience’s desires years in advance, determine the best way to monetize their creation, and execute on a vision amid a cascading series of strict deadlines. And with so many new gaming formats becoming part of the gaming landscape, such as mobile, AR/VR, esports, and streaming, developers also have to consider the type of game they want to make.

It will never be an easy job, but it doesn’t have to be quite as hard as it is today. Market research has become a critical part of the design process in recent years. And there are more data streams than ever feeding into that research pool. Too few game makers are taking full advantage of the information that’s available to them –and even those that do generally focus solely on the success of a single title, rather than an entire brand.