The mobile gaming industry has exploded in recent years, with over 2.2 billion mobile gamers worldwide in 2020. This massive growth has been driven by advancements in smartphone technology, faster mobile internet, and changing consumer habits. However, behind the scenes, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have become instrumental in taking mobile gaming to the next level.
AI and machine learning are revolutionizing every aspect of the mobile gaming experience – from how games are developed to how they engage users. These technologies are enabling more immersive, adaptive, and social gameplay while also optimizing monetization. The application of AI and machine learning has become a key strategy for mobile game developers to achieve success.
How AI is Transforming Game Design and Development
One of the biggest impacts of AI is how it is transforming the actual process of game design and development. Rather than relying solely on human game developers, AI algorithms can now be used to generate ideas, produce art assets, and even test games.
Procedural Content Generation
Procedural content generation (PCG) involves leveraging AI algorithms that can automatically generate game graphics, landscapes, sound effects, and other digital assets. PCG enables more unique content to be produced faster, reducing development costs. For example, AI can generate endless new levels and worlds, so games stay fresh. The rogue-like sci-fi shooter Morphite relies on PCG to create over 100,000 planets with unique environments to explore.
Playtesting and Balancing
Testing and balancing a mobile game to make it challenging, engaging, and monetizable takes extensive human effort. AI simulation tools can now autonomously playtest mobile games to gather gameplay data and detect flaws. AI balancing algorithms can also tune difficulty, maximize retention and optimize in-game economy. For instance, Gismart uses AI to balance difficulty curves in its hypercasual games like Color Bump 3D.
Concept Ideation
AI can even spark new game concepts and mechanics. Text-generating algorithms like GPT-3 can craft original narrative storylines. Reinforcement learning AI can reveal new ways to combine game mechanics in unexpected ways human designers may not have considered. The mobile RPG Languinis originated from a simple AI text description.
Streamlined Workflows
AI enables developers to build mobile games faster by automating routine tasks like playtesting. For example, Gismart’s AI playtesting API can test mobile games overnight and identify issues without any human effort. This allows developers to focus on more high-level creative tasks. Startups like Anthropic are building AI tools to generate code, further optimizing development.
Hyper-Personalized Gameplay
At the core of many AI gaming innovations is the ability to understand each player’s preferences, playstyle, and behavior to enable hyper-personalized gameplay. AI opens the door for tailor-made experiences down to the individual level.
Predictive Modeling
AI algorithms can build predictive models by analyzing gameplay data to determine what types of games an individual is likely to enjoy, how much they are likely to spend, when they get bored, and what causes frustration. Developers can then customize games to each user. For example, in shooter games, AI could match players based on skill level or steer them towards more balanced competitions to maximize engagement.
Adaptive Difficulty
Powerful reinforcement learning algorithms enable game difficulty to adapt dynamically during gameplay to perfectly match an individual player’s ability and prevent frustration. AI continuously tweaks spawned enemies, available power-ups, time limits, puzzles and more in response to user performance and behavior in real-time. Idle skilling game Random Dice relies on adaptive difficulty to balance PvP battles.
Contextual Recommendations
AI recommendation engines learn player preferences based on gaming history and offer users personalized recommendations of games they are most likely to download and enjoy. Contextual factors like time, location and real-world activity can also be incorporated. Google Play already uses basic AI to power its game recommendations system.
Social Competition and Collaboration
Connecting players together drives long-term mobile gaming engagement. AI matchmaking algorithms analyze player profiles and gameplay statistics to pair people together into competitive eSports matches, social leagues, and collaborative quests based on shared goals, complementary skills, and other synergies. For example, Sony patents describe using AI matchmaking to build friendlier online communities in games.
Intelligent Assistants and Chatbots
Conversational AI and virtual assistants allow for more natural interactions between games and players. Chatbots can provide guidance, tips, feedback, and tutorials tailored to an individual player’s behavior in real-time to help them progress, heighten engagement and avoid frustration. Features like voice control also enable more immersive gameplay. Niantic recently acquired AI conversation technology to power more contextual dialog in games like Pikmin Bloom.
Hyper-Realistic Game Environments
Graphics, physics, animations and sound effects are all becoming more lifelike through the application of AI and machine learning. Algorithms can now generate 3D facial animations based on voice acting to make conversations between characters more natural. Physics engines leverage machine learning to simulate real-world reactions and surfaces. Parable’s sound recognition AI dynamically adjusts audio effects to match real environments.
Monetization Optimization
Mobile games are big business, generating over $100 billion annually from in-app purchases and ads. AI is now being used to optimize the monetization of mobile games to maximize revenue while preserving user experience.
Predictive IAP Modeling
By analyzing player traits, behaviors and predictive models, AI can determine which in-app purchases each user is most likely to complete, their ideal price point, and the best time to prompt for monetization. This dramatically improves conversion rates. AI startup Gismart increased in-app purchase conversion rates by 40% using predictive modeling.
Dynamic Pricing
AI algorithms set and adjust in-game pricing in real-time based on demand forecasting models to achieve optimal revenue. User segmentation ensures pricing is tailored across geographies and player profiles. AI tracking also enables dynamic “price discrimination”.
Ad Recommendation Optimization
AI ad engines optimize mobile ad performance by building user interest profiles based on gameplay data to serve ads users are more likely to engage with. Contextual analysis matches ads to natural breaks in gameplay. Object recognition even inserts ads onto in-game billboards or posters. Startup Anzu specializes in integrating ads with gameplay.
Read more: The Social Aspect of Playing Online Word Games
The Future with AI
The applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in mobile gaming are only beginning to be realized. As the technology continues to advance, more immersive, personalized and human-like video game experiences will emerge.
Some future trends AI may enable include: hyper-realistic virtual worlds, cloud-based games streamed on demand, AR/VR titles controlled by thoughts and emotions, advanced in-game assistants, and even completely synthetic game characters with their own personalities powered by artificial general intelligence.
While still early, AI and machine learning will enable mobile games with unprecedented depths of engagement, intelligence, and interactions that adapt to satisfy human needs and desires on the deepest levels. Game developers must embrace AI to stay competitive and take the mobile gaming experience to the next frontier.
The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning in mobile gaming marks a new chapter in the industry’s evolution. Driven by the desire to create more immersive experiences and data-driven products, AI and machine learning have become integral to the future of mobile games. These technologies will continue to transform mobile gaming in exciting new ways in the years to come.
