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Large games and the law of large numbers

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  • Al-Najjar, Nabil I.
Abstract
This paper introduces discrete large games where the set of players is a countable dense 'grid' with a finitely additive distribution. In these games any function from player names to mixed actions is a legitimate strategy profile. No extraneous continuity or measurability conditions are assumed. Randomness can be modeled explicitly and an exact law of large numbers holds. Equilibria enjoy a strong purification property: every realization of every mixed strategy equilibrium is a pure strategy equilibrium almost surely. Every continuum-player game has a discrete large game representation that preserves the original payoffs, strategy profiles and equilibria. It is argued that strategy profiles in continuum-player games have an ambiguous meaning because measurability requirements force the smoothing out of individual variations. These variations have clear strategic meaning in finite-player games and can be expressed in discrete large games, but not when the set of players is the continuum.

Suggested Citation

  • Al-Najjar, Nabil I., 2008. "Large games and the law of large numbers," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 1-34, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:64:y:2008:i:1:p:1-34
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cerreia-Vioglio, Simone & Maccheroni, Fabio & Schmeidler, David, 2022. "Equilibria of nonatomic anonymous games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 110-131.
    2. Patrizia Berti & Michele Gori & Pietro Rigo, 2009. "A note on the law of large numbers in economics," Working Papers - Mathematical Economics 2009-10, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa, revised Nov 2010.
    3. Pablo Casas-Arce & F. Asís Martínez-Jerez, 2009. "Relative Performance Compensation, Contests, and Dynamic Incentives," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(8), pages 1306-1320, August.
    4. Anna Rubinchik & Roberto Samaniego, 2013. "Demand for contract enforcement in a barter environment," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 41(1), pages 73-97, June.
    5. Hannu Salonen, 2010. "On the existence of Nash equilibria in large games," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 39(3), pages 351-357, July.
    6. Yang, Jian, 2011. "Asymptotic interpretations for equilibria of nonatomic games," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(4-5), pages 491-499.
    7. Wang, Yan & Yang, Jian & Qi, Lian, 2017. "A game-theoretic model for the role of reputation feedback systems in peer-to-peer commerce," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 178-193.
    8. Voellmy, Lukas, 2021. "Preventing runs with fees and gates," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    9. Carmona, Guilherme & Podczeck, Konrad, 2009. "On the existence of pure-strategy equilibria in large games," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 1300-1319, May.
    10. Nabil I. Al-Najjar & Luciano Pomatto, 2020. "An Abstract Law of Large Numbers," Sankhya A: The Indian Journal of Statistics, Springer;Indian Statistical Institute, vol. 82(1), pages 1-12, February.
    11. Jian Yang, 2017. "A link between sequential semi-anonymous nonatomic games and their large finite counterparts," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 46(2), pages 383-433, May.
    12. Tolvanen, Juha & Soultanis, Elefterios, 2012. "A correction to “Large games and the law of large numbers” [Games Econom. Behav. 64 (2008) 1–34]," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 340-343.
    13. Al-Najjar, Nabil I. & Pomatto, Luciano, 2020. "Aggregate risk and the Pareto principle," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    14. Jian Yang, 2021. "Analysis of Markovian Competitive Situations Using Nonatomic Games," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 184-216, March.
    15. Bodoh-Creed, Aaron, 2013. "Efficiency and information aggregation in large uniform-price auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 148(6), pages 2436-2466.
    16. Jian Yang, 2015. "A Link between Sequential Semi-anonymous Nonatomic Games and their Large Finite Counterparts," Papers 1510.06809, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2016.
    17. Jian Yang, 2015. "Analysis of Markovian Competitive Situations using Nonatomic Games," Papers 1510.06813, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2017.
    18. Masaki Miyashita & Takashi Ui, 2024. "On the Pettis Integral Approach to Large Population Games," Papers 2403.17605, arXiv.org.
    19. Tsitsiklis, John N. & Xu, Yunjian, 2015. "Pricing of fluctuations in electricity markets," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 246(1), pages 199-208.

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