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Games are not only about entertainment, but also about technology
Game technology has long been overlooked because the intrinsic entertainment value of games has overshadowed their underlying scientific and technological importance. In fact, game technology is a collection of functional technologies that were first implemented on a large scale in video games, with the goal of enriching and enhancing the experience of human interaction. The game technology has high levels of interactivity, simulation, immersion and advanced rendering, and has been increasingly used in a variety of fields such as digital preservation of cultural heritage, industrial simulation, smart cities and intelligent manufacturing. Game technology is therefore gradually gaining recognition as a powerful tool to promote the integration of the digital space and the real world.
“The impact of video games on cutting-edge technological progress is far beyond our imagination. Gaming technology is a ‘natural incubator’ for many new technological innovations.” Luigi Gambardella president of ChinaEU, described how video games have promoted the development of AR/VR technology and the use of artificial intelligence technology.
“The rise of gametech is an economic phenomenon, and it is also a trend driven by cultural and technological factors that cannot be ignored. The global academic community must realize that games and game technology are very important interdisciplinary topics,” said Hsiung Ping-Chen Secretary General of the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH).
The gaming industry has a history of being at the forefront of adopting new technologies. KooPee Hiltunen, director of the Neogames Finland Association-Finnish National Center of Game Business, Research and Education, and founder and board member of the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) noted that the game industry has always been among the first to use these advanced new technologies. The gaming industry plays a key role in the popularization of such technology. It uses technology to create meaningful content and therefore becomes one of the most advanced presentations in human-computer interaction. In the future, the gaming industry will continue to lead the way in introducing new technology to the general public in a way that is easy to understand and accessible.
LIU Feng, a researcher at the Research Center on Fictitious Economy & Data Science of China Academy of Sciences, believes that there has been a close relationship between gametech and artificial intelligence from the beginning, and gametech also has a strong traction effect on the development of artificial intelligence. Applications of gametech in biology, protection of cultural heritage and autonomous driving lead the way in the exploration of artificial intelligence.
Gametech can break down boundaries and create more opportunities for cross-sector collaboration
The European Parliament pointed out that the total value of the European gaming industry is as high as 23.3 billion euros in 2021. There are almost 5,000 game studios in the EU, creating at least 98,000 jobs in 2020. Games have become an important part of the cultural life of about half of European citizens. In addition, gametech has made significant contributions to the promotion of various industries. According to the report “Game Technology-New Technology Clusters in the Process of Digital and Real Economy Integration” published by the China Academy of Sciences in July 2022 gaming technology has contributed approximately 14.9%, 46.3% and 71.6% to the technological progress of the chip industry, high-speed communication network industry and AR/VR industry in China respectively.
“We live in a global world that is getting smaller and closer. One of the best ways to create global communities is through digital media. A very important type of digital media is video games, many of which are played around the world. This is sometimes the I call it the most potent marketing tool. In the future, our goal is to enable technology to reach consumers in a more meaningful way.” said KooPee Hiltunen.
In fact, there are many opportunities for symbiosis between different industries and different technologies. Gianfranco Ciccarella Senior Advisor for Communications Networks and Services, believes that “to enable these possibilities, it is necessary to break through the service performance limitations we still have over the Internet. Very High Capacity Networks (VHCN) able to offer services that are not yet available, such as eg 360 degree Augmented Reality, is needed to support gaming technology and global innovation.VHCN requires significant changes in Telcos networks and one of the most important changes, to provide performance improvement and cost savings for services, is the deployment of Edge Cloud Computing platforms in the access networks”.
“The video game industry has a positive ripple effect on the semiconductor and telecommunication industries. 5G networks and IoT infrastructure are very important basic conditions for the video game industry, including economic development.” LUO Rong, Professor at the School of Economics at Renmin University of China mean.
There are many technologies that enable the development of video games, with AI being one of the most prominent. Cross-field application of gametech is essential for the integration of digital and real economies. ZHAO Xiaolei, Director of Investment and Technology Promotion Shanghai Office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, believes that “digital factories are a new way of organizing production. Digital twin technology can be used to use game engines and other technologies to program simulation, evaluation and optimization of the entire product lifecycle, which can be applied to the deep convergence of physical and cloud-based data pools, smart factories and digitally integrated manufacturing facilities.”
Gametech has many versatile applications, including in medicine and psychotherapy. Marco Accordi Rickards , CEO and founder of the Vigamus Foundation, board member of the European Federation of Video Game Archives, Museums and Preservation Projects (EFGAMP), elaborated on how games can help in an important and pragmatic way in our lives. For example, some research uses VR technology to recreate some situations that can help people overcome some traumatic experiences they have had.
The team to Marco Accordi Rickards recently developed a game called “Behind the Light”, which allows everyone to understand the importance of restoring, repairing and preserving classic ancient Italian films, so that young people can develop an interest in the old black and white silent films, and at the same time let everyone learn about these important figures in Italian film history. His team also uses gametech to preserve cultural heritage, and works with scientists to advance scientific research.
The esports industry is a very important pillar and driving force for innovation. “Esports can bring young people on board with important subjects such as programming and information technology, learn to communicate with different cultures and teamwork through games, and even influence their future career development. At the same time, it can help some universities to attract young talents” said Karol Cagáň, Vice President of the European Esports Federation, described the belief that esports and people’s lives will be more closely linked, and esports will not only be a profession, but will also be more integrated into people’s lives and education, cultivating skills that will evolve into more interactive careers and industries. Tobias Scholz chairman of the Esports Research Network, and assistant professor at the University of Siegen, added that “learning and mastering skills through esports is nothing new, but the world is becoming more digital, so these skills are changing games. People are learning how to cooperate with each other by playing video games. In trying to understand eSports and its industry, it also helps us understand how the digital world works.”
The EU accelerates gametech and promotes the new development of the global gaming industry
In the recent resolution of the European Parliament, video games are described as “complex creative works”, which combine different artistic techniques with innovative technologies to form a cross-sectoral medium; video games have a strong innovation value and great potential to popularize science and lifelong learning education, and can encourage a new generation of Europeans to pursue their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) careers. The resolution adopted by the European Parliament makes us think more seriously about the future development of the gaming industry.
At the webinar, experts and industry practitioners called on the international community to explore further cooperation on gametech. Luigi Gambardella believes that “both Europe and China has played an important role in promoting cross-sector innovation through gametech. China and Europe should work together to explore the opportunities and challenges in gametech innovation.” Hsiung Ping-Chen said, “Only when everyone continues to play and share an entertaining and joyful world can we have the opportunity to continue to evolve.”
One of the biggest challenges right now is making video games accessible to everyone. Tobias Scholz explained, “the resolution of the European Parliament on eSports and video games draws the attention of member states to the importance of this industry, stimulates discussion and further promotes the growth of the industry.” “In the eSports industry, China is already a very large player. China has the world’s largest ecosystem in terms of hardware manufacturing and applications, and I very much hope to collaborate with China to explore future cooperation opportunities.” said Karol Cagáň.
The gaming industry is a global industry. Conflicting regulations in different jurisdictions will make compliance difficult for gaming companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. KooPee Hiltunen warned that we should be very careful when adapting new types of regulations because we have to take care of all the regulations that already exist on a global level. And if this would lead to confrontation between regulations in the EU, it would not make gaming businesses any easier.
Gametech can bridge the cultural differences between China and Europe thereby offering a message of unity. Marco Accordi Rickards explained, ” China and Europe are two areas of the world that possess ancient and amazing civilizations. The interactive language of games makes it easier for young people to learn and accept, and therefore communicate across cultures. It’s a really important opportunity for Europe and China to work together and use gametech to present each other with different cultural histories and beautiful cultural heritage to increase mutual understanding.”
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SOURCE ChinaEU
