Unlocking the Power of Player Behavior Analysis

Today I’m going to talk about something super powerful that you’re going to want in your developer’s toolkit: behavioral biometrics.

Behavioral biometrics is all about understanding your players so you can create a fairer, more engaging gaming experience. And what game developer doesn’t want that? So, let’s start by answering “What is behavioral biometrics?” and then explore the fascinating ways it’s being applied to the gaming industry.

What Is Behavioral Biometrics?

Behavioral biometrics is about understanding players based on how they interact while playing your game. By observing and analyzing patterns, we can use AI to create a unique profile for each player.

To create accurate profiles, Anybrain’s anti-cheat technology uses over 100 behavioral biometrics! For PC games, this includes things like:

• Typing style
• Mouse movements
• Keyboard mechanics
• Coordination (eye and hand)

These are examples of behavioral biometrics used in the PC version of our software. We use similar biometrics in our mobile and console versions.

Imagine creating a unique profile for every player based on their interaction with your game. That’s behavioral biometrics in action! Every player has a signature style, and AI technology allows us to capture and analyze it.

Using Behavioral Biometrics to Prevent Cheating

Now that you understand behavioral biometrics, let’s talk about how it can help you prevent cheating in your video game. Cheating is a longstanding issue in the gaming world and can ruin the experience for other players. If there’s a way to stay one step ahead of cheating, it’s through behavioral biometrics.

By continuously tracking a player’s unique behavioral patterns in real-time, AI can spot when things suddenly don’t add up. This is because when a player uses a cheat, their behavior will deviate from their usual pattern. For example, a player’s reaction time or accuracy may suddenly improve. Or maybe their mouse-clicking pattern doesn’t match their typical style. When anomalies occur, it’s a red flag that the player might be cheating.

Based on the behavioral biometrics and individual profiles, Anybrain can catch cheating such as:

• Performance frauds (aimbot, triggerbot, rapid-fire, recoil/sway scripts, and macros)
• Identity frauds (boosting, smurfing, bots)
• Farming frauds (bots)
• Hardware frauds (Strikepack, Cronus, XIM)

The focus of Anybrain anti-cheat technology is on detecting discrepancies in real-time. By providing real-time alerts and fraud analysis, game developers can make informed decisions. Anybrain does not ban players, but we offer tools to help you decide on bans and manage them confidently.

Other Applications of Behavioral Biometrics

The magic of behavioral biometrics doesn’t stop at anti-cheat solutions. Think about it — if we can create a unique profile for each player, why not use this data in other ways to improve your game?

One application is age verification. By using biometrics such as fingertip size, pressure on the screen, and speed of texting, AI can predict the player’s age. This information can be used to protect children from content they should not be viewing….because, let’s face it, it’s too easy to lie on age verification forms. Check out my blog post about age verification technology to learn more about this topic.

Another application of behavioral biometrics for video games is mental fatigue and stress. As mentioned, data on individual players are captured continuously. As such, the AI can evaluate the player’s experience in real-time, including their mental fatigue and stress level. These insights can guide you to fine-tune your game mechanics, pacing, difficulty levels, and overall design to enhance player satisfaction and retention.

Are Behavioral Biometrics Accurate?

Accuracy is crucial when discussing behavioral biometrics. A natural question you have might be, “Is the data you get from behavioral biometrics accurate enough to base important decisions on?”

The short answer is a resounding yes.

The unique profile created for each player is incredibly detailed, based on over 100 different behavioral biometrics. With a solid baseline, it’s easy for AI to spot deviations that might indicate cheating.

Further, the Anybrain software has been tested on over 5 million unique players in over 19 million hours of gameplay and has been found to be incredibly accurate at detecting cheating.

In this article, you can read about one specific test where we tracked nearly 30,000 G-Loot players in 2021. Our software detected fraud in 723 unique users. G-Loot instantly banned 386 of these players (53%), while the rest were investigated further and handled on a case-by-case basis. Anybrain technology provides the data, and game developers can make smart and calculated decisions based on that data.

Is Behavioral Biometrics Right for Your Game?

If you’re developing multiplayer games where fairness of gameplay is essential, then behavioral biometrics is practically a must-have tool in your developer’s toolkit. The data can help you maintain the integrity of your game environment and ensure that no player gains an unfair advantage.

Unchecked cheating can ruin the gaming experience for honest players. This leads to lower engagement, a tarnished reputation, and a hit to your bottom line. Behavioral biometrics like those used in Anybrain anti-cheat software can help you stop cheating before it causes significant damage.

What if your game is single-player or casual/not competitive? Even in these scenarios, behavioral biometrics can benefit you. Understanding how your players engage with your game, how they progress, and what causes them to churn can empower you to make informed decisions to improve game balance, player experience, and, ultimately, your game’s success.

Ready to Transform Your Game?

At the beginning of this article, I said that behavioral biometrics is something you’ll want in your developer’s toolkit. So, what do you think? Can you envision how you might use it in your current or next PC, mobile, or console video game?

We’d love to chat with you if you have any other questions about behavioral biometrics or Anybrain software. You can sign up to hear from our team or contact info@anybrain.gg.

Join us on the cutting edge of gaming technology, and let’s set a new standard for gameplay and player experience!