Online Learning and Optimization for Revenue Management Problems with Add-on Discounts

In this chapter I begin by offering a discussion of the role of video game consoles in the video game industry, the most important video game consoles, and the question of whether consoles will be supplanted by tablets and smartphones. Next I offer information on the most important kinds and genres of video games and statistics on the amount of money spent on handheld, mobile, personal computer, and video game consoles and a listing of the top ten video games of 2013. This is followed by a discussion of the attributes of video games, such as immersion and interactivity, and the problem of video game addiction. Finally I offer an analysis of PacMan as an example of how video games reflect important themes in American culture.

Purpose: The study discusses the importance of branding and the video game industry. Emphasis is placed on brand analysis. The phenomenon of the happiness industry and the video game industry are discussed. Methodology/approach: The research is based on relevant theories of brand management. The study starts from the construct of brand identity according to Kapferer and brand image according to Keller. The context of happiness and the entertainment industry is analysed according to Davies. Results: The paper researches and analyses distinct brands in video games. Video game branding is analysed from the aspect of marketing communication. Brand categories in video games are suggested. Also, the economic impact of the games was analysed. Conclusion: The video game industry is a large market that has overtaken the music and film industries in terms of revenue. Video games should be viewed in a wider social context as a generator of new jobs, creation of new value, but also as a cultural phenomenon. Branding in the video game industry is important for two reasons: creating greater visibility and consolidating an existing position in the market. In other words, we see the brand in video games as an evolutionary process of digital marketing, but also as a digital imprint of an existing brand. Limitations/future research: This study is theoretical and starts from a qualitative methodology, i.e. thematic literature analysis. Further empirical research can be conducted on different game types, consumer type and by gaming platform to identify the existing market.

The aim of the article is to analyze the economic potential of the cross-platform approach in the video game industry within the context of the transformation of the digital entertainment market, as well as to identify key benefits and limitations associated with its active implementation. The study defines and substantiates the position of video games among other sectors of the entertainment industry, compares average annual growth rates, audience sizes, and leading countries as development centers. It is determined that the video game industry has the highest average annual growth rate and primarily targets youth and children. The dynamics of the popularity of major gaming platforms are analyzed. It is found that over the past three decades, the share of consoles in the video game market has significantly decreased, the PC segment has remained relatively stable, and mobile devices currently occupy the leading position. A trend toward technological innovations in the video game industry has been identified: the growing popularity of cloud and cross-platform gaming. The meanings of the terms «multi-platform» and «cross-platform» have been explained, and a retrospective of the development of these approaches to video game development has been provided. The most common modern platforms have been identified and compared according to several parameters: developers, price, popularity, and the level of support for cross-platform games. Key beneficiaries in the value creation chain who depend on the cross-platform approach to game development have been outlined: players, developers, and platform providers. For players, the statistical relationship between the number of platforms and gaming time was analyzed, and the positive effect of cross-platform functionality on social interaction was noted. For developers, the advantages of long-term support for cross-platform games were substantiated, and for platform providers, the positive impact on extending platform lifecycles was highlighted. As an example, the video game Fortnite is analyzed: revenue statistics are presented, and its financial success is substantiated as one of the most notable cases of applying a cross-platform approach in the digital economy. The results obtained can be used to develop monetization strategies, shape video game business models, and forecast further changes in the video game industry or related sectors of the experience economy.

In 2006, the Nintendo corporation introduced its video game console in the United States, and it quickly became the most popular video game system in the country. Two major features of the gaming system drove its popularity: It introduced motion-controlled gaming into the mainstream and also introduced video game personalization to many people through the customization of miis, the avatars that represent video game players. Together, these features represent Nintendo's ongoing quest to revolutionize video gaming and create a family-friendly social gaming experience that anyone can enjoy. The corporation claims, Wii is not just a gaming console, it's a reason to get together with your friends and family and play today's hottest (What Is Wii?). Nintendo's is therefore constructed as more than a machine upon which one plays games; it is a means to play games with other people and an excuse to be social. As part of the marketing of the console as an opportunity to get friends and family together, Nintendo created the phenomenon of the Wii party. What better vehicle to demonstrate the social gaming philosophy of the corporation and the sociality of Nintendo's gaming experience than a party? These are not only opportunities for entertainment; they also are opportunities for outlets of self-expression as party throwers and party goers alike can become the nice neighbor or good parent or fun friend by hosting, attending, and participating at such festivities. However, have an additional ulterior- or sneaky - function that extends beyond providing people with tools for fun and self-realization. deploy the narratives of a commodity in order to allow party participants to craft their own personal narratives. In this context, the Wii becomes very important. Ultimately, are significant not simply because they are themed around a brand but because people's performances at such become constitutive of the brand. In order to explain one must first establish what a party is and how theming a party on a video game helps establish a narrative frame for such events. One must then document the character of Wii-themed and connect the experience that is to be had at to the idea of Nintendo's brand. What Makes a Gathering of Gamers into a Party? Wii can be understood as deliberately planned entertaining social gatherings (or parties for short) whose social capital and capacity to produce pleasure depend on the presence (and reputation) of the Nintendo corporation's gaming platform. The theme of the party/ gathering depends upon the (just as Oscar and Superbowl depend upon their respective entertainment spectacles). The premise of a party is that one invites others to mark some occasion by playing the and that the occasion will be made that much more memorable (and social) because of Wii-styled gameplay. Justification for this belief comes from the video game console itself. The console radically altered the way people played video games through the introduction of the Wii-remote (or Wii-mote). Nintendo integrated motion sensors into the Wii's remote controls in order to reproduce one's real world movements in the virtual world of the video game. Instead of memorizing and pressing a combination of buttons in order to do something in the game such as swinging a golf club, one literally swung the Wii-mote and saw the corresponding results on screen. The Wii-mote was made so simple and intuitive in order to allow anyone to play, which also made the experience of playing that much more fun. One would never confuse Wii-styled movements with the activity required to do the corresponding real-world actions, but one would also never confuse the sometimes frenzied physical activity of gameplay with the drowsy couch potato existence enabled by its competition (Cogburn and Silcox 18-19). …

The video game industry has become integrated into American lives and has continued to grow at a steady rate. This project utilizes social identity theory, self-categorization theory, and flow theory to examine differences in aggression and processing of video games between three gamer types: non-gamer, casual gamer, and core gamer. A careful review of previous literature was conducted to explore research involving violent video games, various effects caused by video game play, and how video game research has been utilized in conjunction with social identity theory, self-categorization theory, and flow theory. A gap in the literature was identified that most studies focusing on video game effects did not address participants' relationship with video games beyond the amount of time dedicated to gameplay. In past research focused on analyzing gamer identity (Neys, Jansz, and Tan, 2014), non-gamers were excluded from analyses, limiting the conclusions one can make about how video game may affect gamers versus non-gamers differentially. Gamer identity is not unidimensional, rather different types of gamers have a different level of investment in the time they dedicate to video games as well as preferences for what they play. This project explored the idea that gamers may react differently to video game stimuli when compared to non-gamers. Grand Theft Auto IV was utilized as a stimulus in an experiment that measured how violence impacts the different types of gamers. The results indicated that core gamers do react to violent content differently than non-gamers and casual gamers in that hostility and empathy are unaffected by short-term exposure to a violent game stimulus for core gamers. This study suggests that core gamers process video game stimuli differently than non-gamers and casual gamers. The mechanisms by which this happens were not explored, but the consistency of the results provide evidence for unique processing of video game stimulus by core gamers. Results are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research.

This paper explores the issue of male dominance in the video game industry and gaming community. Female game characters in video games are often over-sexualized to suit male preferences due to mainstream social consciousness. This practice not only disregards the needs and experiences of female gamers, but also reinforces gender stereotypes and hurts gender equality. This kind of disrespect and harm to women further spreads to real social life, which is not conducive to women’s physical and mental health. The paper analyses how male hegemony is manifested through the marginalization of women, the distortion of women’s representation, and the objectification of women as objects of male desire from the perspective of social psychology. In addition, the paper explores how gaming mechanics control women in games and real life and further exacerbate this problem by creating ‘second selves’ that perpetuate gender norms. The paper argues for the need to challenge this male dominance and discusses how women can actively resist this dominance in society and the gaming community. Finally, the paper calls for a more inclusive and gender-equitable gaming culture to improve the gaming experience for all players, as well as to promote respect for women in society.

The purpose of this study is to extend the understanding of the business model of video game retailers using online and physical stores. It focuses on the impact of digitalization on the retailing industry considering different actors like retailers and consumers. This is a qualitative multiple-case study based on deductive reasoning. Two cases of click-and-mortar retailers operating in the Swedish video game industry have been considered along with feedback from customers. Online personal interviews and semi-structured interviews have been conducted with retailers and customers respectively. Both primary and secondary data have been used. Findings show that video game retailers need to encourage engagement through incentives and other activities to create value and change up their formats and sales strategies through pricing to reach new customers and focus on design of their online store fronts to convey trustworthiness. It offers some insightful practical suggestions to retailers who are struggling hard to adopt digital transformations in the industry. Authors’ proposed research model, based on Sorescu et al. (2011)’s retail business model and the empirical findings, contributes in the less explored domain of research on business models from retailer’s perspectives. Moreover, it adds values in industry specific study like the video game industry in Sweden considering all actors, which is argued as scarce.

Vertical Integration, Exclusivity and Game Sales Performance in the US Video Game Industry

Scholars have extensively studied video game labor practices (e.g., Bulut, E. (2015). Glamor above, precarity below: Immaterial labor in the video game industry. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 32(3), 193-207. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2015.1047880 , Bulut, E. (2020). White masculinity, creative desires, and production ideology in video game development. Games and Culture, 16, 1555412020939873; Banks, J. (2013). Co-creating videogames. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing; Kerr, A. (2010). The culture of gamework. In M. Deuze (Ed), Managing Media Work (pp. 225-236). London: Sage; O’Donnell (2009). The everyday lives of video game developers: Experimentally understanding underlying systems/structures. Transformative Works and Cultures, 2. https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2009.0073 , O’Donnell (2014). Developer’s dilemma: The secret world of videogame creators. Cambridge, MA: MIT press; Johnson, R. S. (2013). Toward greater production diversity. Games and Culture, 8(136), 136-160. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412013481848 , Johnson, R. (2014). Hiding in plain sight: Reproducing masculine culture at a video game studio. Communication, Culture & Critique, 7, 578-594. https://doi.org/10.1111/cccr.12023 ); yet, few have exclusively examined the process of character design (e.g., Srauy, S. (2017). Professional norms and race in the North American video game industry. Games and Culture, 14, 478-497. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412017708936 ). Using a grounded theory analysis of 19 interviews with games designers and developers, this work complements existing research with insights on how gender and gendered interactions, technologies, audiences, market logics, and corporate culture integrate and influence character design practices. We found that technological affordances (e.g., game engines and related software; see Whitson, J. R. (2018). Voodoo software and boundary objects in game development: How developers collaborate and conflict with game engines and art tools. New Media & Society, 20, 2315-2332) converged with the masculine, heteronormative identities of game developers to shape normalized valued practices for character design, resulting in formulaic tropes that generally appealed to a masculine audience. Changes in status quo character design were attributed to diversity-conscious individuals, who operated within organizational practices privileging proven formulas over innovative designs.

The presented article focuses on new research opportunities in the field of computational linguistics, especially in the context of video games and artificial intelligence and seeks to bridge the three areas. It provides a general introduction to computational linguistics, which emerged in the 1950s in response to the rapid development of science and technology and introduces the reader to concepts such as natural language processing and natural language understanding. It also explores the connections between computational linguistics and not only artificial intelligence, which greatly aids computers in understanding, interpreting, and generating human language, but also video games. The text highlights the role of artificial intelligence in the video game industry, where it is used, for example, to create dialogues and stories, to interact with players, and to translate and localize video game content. The paper also articulates the challenges and benefits of using AI in video games, including the negative ethical and legal aspects. The author mentions that AI can generate personalized stories and guide the behaviour of game characters, contributing to deeper immersion of players. She also discusses the issue of translating video game text, where AI can be helpful, but the translation produced this way still requires human control to ensure quality and accuracy. In conclusion, the author considers the hypothesis that video games are a practical example of the application of computational linguistics and that this linguistic branch can play a key role in the development of video games to be well-founded but encourages further and more detailed research. Computational linguistics and video games are linked through language that exhibits a tension between natural human and machine artificial language.

Since the early 2000s, the video game industry has seen extraordinary booms in product development and market growth, with the total number of video game players globally reaching 2.69 billion by the end of 2020. Despite the rapid growth of the industry, there is little recent data investigating the time adult video game players spend sedentary playing video games and the time they spent engaged in physical activity. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional, non-experimental survey study is to describe the frequency and duration of video game play and physical activity in adult video game players. Participants completed an online survey, evaluating their demographic and health history information, video game play, and physical activity behaviors. The study used data from a total of 221 participants (Males = 153, Females = 68). The mean age of the participants was 27.29 (SD 7.27) years. Of the 221 participants, 145 identified as casual players, 50 amateurs, 24 semi-professionals, and 2 professionals. The participants spent over five days per week and an average of 26.56 h per week playing video games. Personal computers were reported to have the longest duration of play of the four platforms investigated (17.59 h per week). The total amount of time participants spent engaged in cumulative moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was an average of 15.43 (SD 16.79) hours per week. The majority of this time was spent engaged in occupational physical activity (5.11 h per week). Participants spent 2.39 h per week engaged in leisure time MVPA. Our results indicate an increase in VG play compared to 2018, suggesting United States adult video game players may be more at risk for detrimental effects to their physical health. This could be attributed to the habits formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the influences from video genre game play mechanics, and the social aspects of playing video games with friends. Future research should focus on developing research methodologies that will objectively measure adult video game player frequencies and durations in video game play alongside extensive observation of different video gameplay mechanic genres and their relationships with physical activity.

A growing body of literature has investigated the effects of playing video games on brain function and behavior. One key takeaway from this literature has been that not all entertainment video games are created equal with respect to their effects on cognitive functioning. The majority of the research to date has contrasted the cognitive impact of playing first- or third-person shooter games (together dubbed "action video games") against the effects of playing other game types. Indeed, when the research began in the late 1990s, action video games placed a load upon the perceptual, attentional, and cognitive systems in a manner not seen in other video games. However, the video game industry has shifted dramatically over the intervening years. In particular, first- and third-person shooter games are no longer unique in the extent to which they load upon cognitive abilities. Instead, a host of other game genres appear to place similar degrees of load upon these systems. This state of affairs calls for a paradigm shift in the way that the cognitive neuroscience field examines the impact of video game play on cognitive skills and their neural mediators-a shift that is only just now slowly occurring.

Purpose This study aims to explore how video game design elements contribute to Flow experiences, shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors. By examining the psychological facets of video gaming, the research aims to inform the literature on Flow theory, as well as game development strategies that foster gamer loyalty, purchase intentions and sustained engagement. Design/methodology/approach Using Flow as a theoretical foundation, this study examines how specific dimensions of flow including concentration, interactivity, telepresence, collaboration, challenge and goals impact gamers’ Flow experiences and subsequent behavioral responses. Due to the “real-world” nature of this research, a self-reported survey was used to collect data from 201 Chinese video gamers via an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the Flow experience construct, and the relationships between Flow experience, behavioral intentions and game loyalty. Findings Concentration, interactivity and telepresence were found to facilitate Flow experience. However, collaboration, challenges and goals were not statistically significant in this context, suggesting that these dimensions may depend on extraneous variables such as the gaming environment or player motivation. Central to this examination, findings also show that Flow experiences positively influence video gaming loyalty and positive behavioral intentions. Originality/value This study advances understanding of Flow experiences in video gaming by identifying specific design elements that enhance player engagement and loyalty. These insights extend the application of Flow theory to video gaming and contribute to strategies for cultivating favorable consumer behavior and consumer loyalty in the video gaming industry.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify, characterize, and discuss paradigm shifts that have occurred in the video game industry with some emphasis on competition and competitiveness.Design/methodology/approachBasically, the paper depends upon a review of the literature associated with video game development. Past history is taken from texts and academic papers dealing with the subject. More current observations are taken from the business and popular press. These observations are placed within a context associated with the classic papers on industry evolution, paradigms, paradigm shifts, competition, and competitiveness.FindingsIt is difficult to capture present shifts in such a fast‐growing industry, but these shifts seem clear: the original entry of video games into the arcade sector that led to the industry and the demise of pinball; the development of the home cartridge and console that made the industry a home‐based phenomenon; the entry of independent game‐publishers that made the industry a two‐tiered one; and the development of massively multiplayer online role‐playing games (MMORPGs) that changed the way games are played.Originality/valueThe video game industry is an interesting one to follow. To an extent, its development characterizes our generation – fast paced, technologically oriented, and targeted toward the young and young at heart. This paper takes the subject away from a historical or anecdotal approach and places it within the context of industry evolution, paradigms, and paradigm shifts. It thus should be of value to students of not only video games, but also the evolution of rapidly growing industries and establishment of competitive advantages.

Video Game Industry and User-Generated Content: A Dynamic Interplay Between Laws and Video Game Community Norms