XBOX Live User Tracking

[bobthebub]

I find the XBOX live accomplishments very interesting, It looks as if Microsoft (and presumably Sony/Nintendo once they release) can track pretty closely & reliably what part of games people manage to finish, how often they play etc, I can't help wondering if this will have a significant effect on game design in the future but I am not sure whether it will be a positive thing or not.

Say for example they spot that 80% of people never finish a game willl they start to make games shorter or easier knowing that most people won't notice the difference?

How else could knowing in that amount of detail what people do with the games they buy affect game production in the future?

 

[Tap In]

Interesting question

I'd imagine that it would be several years before any of that data, if it's even being studied, would be useful.

Still you raise a great point. It also will be interesting to see how much weight Devs start putting into multiplayer compared to single player once the data is viable.

Achievements (though they don't appeal to me) have a HUGE base of addicts that keep them playing the game. That was a brilliant addition to the 360 Live system that personally I thought would never take off, but it has.

 

[bobthebub]

argh, yeah, I meant achievements. Thanks Tap in.

Colour me cynical, but I would be astonished if Microsoft did not have someone tracking those in minute detail from day 1.

The possibilities are endless, Push some TV Ad's in one particular state and get feedback in 24/48 hours as to how many people went out and bought the game!

 

[Tap In]

argh, yeah, I meant achievements. Thanks Tap in.

Colour me cynical, but I would be astonished if Microsoft did not have someone tracking those in minute detail from day 1.

The possibilities are endless, Push some TV Ad's in one particular state and get feedback in 24/48 hours as to how many people went out and bought the game!

true

there are endless possibilities and if it delivers even more of the type of content that most people appreciate, then it's a good thing.

you might be right about the tracking, but have not read a peep about how/if they may use the info.

 

[Blazkowicz]

Xbox 360 phones home to tell what games you play, how often and in which way? might not be a big deal, but would you like big US corporations to know what books, movies and music you read/watch/listen to?

 

[NavNucST3]

Xbox 360 phones home to tell what games you play, how often and in which way? might not be a big deal, but would you like big US corporations to know what books, movies and music you read/watch/listen to?

Little late on that one, for every person that signs up for grocery store and other "membership cards" and then uses them to make purchases this is exactly what is being done in the states.

 

[Powderkeg]

true

there are endless possibilities and if it delivers even more of the type of content that most people appreciate, then it's a good thing.

you might be right about the tracking, but have not read a peep about how/if they may use the info.

They use the tracking for the basics. What kinds of games sell, how frequently and how long they are played, which games are avoided or flop, which games do people download and pay for added content, etc... I'm sure it influences what types of games MS produces internally, but beyond the basic genre and style of the game I doubt it influences game design decisions.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

I bet it will.