The eSports industry is a rapidly expanding market with significant opportunities for growth and profitability. Alex Kozachenko, Director of Products at DATA.BET, shares insights with IGF on the crucial role of official game data in the development of eSports companies and in maintaining a stable customer base. How can this data aid in understanding gamers' needs and interests and become an integral part of a strategy to attract and retain customers?
Why is it crucial for operators to utilize official game data instead of copied data, and what are the primary advantages for both the operator and the client?
– Official data acts as a "source of truth," directly obtained from game servers, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of games. The risk of corruption of official data is nearly eliminated, making it essential for building a reliable product in terms of speed, precision, and adherence to game reality. Official data is typically the most comprehensive, reliable, and provides an extensive range of information, enabling operators to leverage a wide array of products in live markets. This ensures widgets operate swiftly, carrying as much game state data as licensors allow. Essentially, official (or licensed) data is the key to creating a product that not only meets customer expectations but also enhances gamer acquisition and retention rates. The use of scraped data presents challenges such as processing delays, fraud risks, and limited content, adversely affecting user loyalty and, consequently, operator profits. Cleaned data leads to slower updates and security issues, diminishing the platform's attractiveness for users and negatively impacting operator profits.
In what key ways can game data be utilized to generate the most engaging additional content for eSports fans and bettors?
– In the realm of eSports betting solutions, the focus is on creating an impressive live market line to captivate eSports fans. Unlicensed data often limits market offerings to basic options like Winner, 1x2, Handicap, and Over/Under. Licensed data significantly enriches the player experience by offering a more personalized line covering not only the basics but also supporting player-specific markets, settling markets every 2-3 minutes, and allowing for real-time engagement during live events. DATA.BET leverages the power of official data through its innovative Player Props feature, providing users with a dynamic and personalized betting experience. This allows them to place bets on specific outcomes such as Total Kills and Total Deaths for their favorite athletes. Beyond betting, official data enables the creation of widgets like pitch trackers and scoreboards, enabling customers to monitor their favorite games in real-time, regardless of internet quality or device used.
Can the persistent issues of latency and game data lag in the eSports world ever be resolved? If so, how?
- The resolution of latency and game data lag issues in eSports is contingent on how we interpret "delay" and "latency." If we harken back to the past, when live statistics experienced a delay of three to five seconds, this was once commonplace. However, the industry has undergone significant changes in the past five years. The advent of sophisticated licensing data distributed directly from tournaments through platforms like GRID and Bayes has revolutionized the industry. Previously, operators relied on intelligence, data analysis, and open source trading, introducing a proxy on the data path between the operator and the realistic game state. Now, with data readily available, latency is a thing of the past, ushering in a realm of latency-free content. Minimal or ideally no latency indicates a provider prioritizing efficiency and delivering real-time information. DATA.BET takes pride in having one of the lowest latency times in the market, providing premium solutions to both B2C (operators) and B2B (software platforms) clients.
Some industry commentators argue that one of the most substantial barriers to accessing reliable gaming data is the associated cost, prompting them to seek more affordable options. What's the optimal approach to cost, and how can reliable data assist operators in improving profits?
Undeniably, official data comes with a cost, unlike open source alternatives that were essentially free but lacked quality assurance. The distinction lies not only in the breadth of available data points but also in the uniformity of licensed data. Consistency in data transfer, regardless of the sport, such as CS:GO or Dota 2, streamlines the integration process, aiding in budget savings. In essence, the benefits start with the ability to create a stable and reliable product without risks, leading to cost savings during the integration phase.
The positive impact and advantages of using official data extend beyond increased profits, encompassing heightened brand influence and audience loyalty. These strategic benefits position a company for long-term success, aligning with the overall goals of any business seeking sustainable success in the dynamic iGaming industry.
