{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7125681833","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","title":"Game-to-Real Gap: Quantifying the Effect of Model Misspecification in Network Games","display_name":"Game-to-Real Gap: Quantifying the Effect of Model Misspecification in Network Games","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-01-22","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7125681833","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5012022449","display_name":"Bryce L. Ferguson","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4373-7363"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Ferguson, Bryce L.","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5031376831","display_name":"Chinmay Maheshwari","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3596-2851"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Maheshwari, Chinmay","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5056476686","display_name":"Manxi Wu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0754-6052"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wu, Manxi","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5123873633","display_name":"Shankar Sastry","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Sastry, Shankar","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5012022449"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11031","display_name":"Game Theory and Applications","score":0.34860000014305115,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1803","display_name":"Management Science and Operations Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11031","display_name":"Game Theory and Applications","score":0.34860000014305115,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1803","display_name":"Management Science and Operations Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10064","display_name":"Complex Network Analysis Techniques","score":0.3163999915122986,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3109","display_name":"Statistical and Nonlinear Physics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/31","display_name":"Physics and Astronomy"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12592","display_name":"Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence","score":0.07320000231266022,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3109","display_name":"Statistical and Nonlinear Physics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/31","display_name":"Physics and Astronomy"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/centrality","display_name":"Centrality","score":0.8176000118255615},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/outcome","display_name":"Outcome (game theory)","score":0.6808000206947327},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/counterintuitive","display_name":"Counterintuitive","score":0.6513000130653381},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/metric","display_name":"Metric (unit)","score":0.6338000297546387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/quadratic-equation","display_name":"Quadratic equation","score":0.5778999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/network-model","display_name":"Network model","score":0.47450000047683716},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/network-science","display_name":"Network science","score":0.4560999870300293},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/complement","display_name":"Complement (music)","score":0.4189000129699707},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/network-formation","display_name":"Network formation","score":0.412200003862381}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C53811970","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5062194","display_name":"Centrality","level":2,"score":0.8176000118255615},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C148220186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7111912","display_name":"Outcome (game theory)","level":2,"score":0.6808000206947327},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C101097943","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5176983","display_name":"Counterintuitive","level":2,"score":0.6513000130653381},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6471999883651733},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C176217482","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q860554","display_name":"Metric (unit)","level":2,"score":0.6338000297546387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C129844170","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41299","display_name":"Quadratic equation","level":2,"score":0.5778999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C104122410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1416406","display_name":"Network model","level":2,"score":0.47450000047683716},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137753397","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2434424","display_name":"Network science","level":3,"score":0.4560999870300293},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112313634","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7886648","display_name":"Complement (music)","level":5,"score":0.4189000129699707},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C68416499","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7001033","display_name":"Network formation","level":2,"score":0.412200003862381},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781300812","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178061","display_name":"Shock (circulatory)","level":2,"score":0.4106999933719635},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776036281","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48769818","display_name":"Constraint (computer-aided design)","level":2,"score":0.36550000309944153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C32946077","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q618079","display_name":"Network analysis","level":2,"score":0.3619000017642975},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149782125","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160039","display_name":"Econometrics","level":1,"score":0.3596000075340271},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C126255220","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q141495","display_name":"Mathematical optimization","level":1,"score":0.33869999647140503},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2988224531","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20830730","display_name":"Network structure","level":2,"score":0.31630000472068787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C101454708","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17106019","display_name":"Standard Model (mathematical formulation)","level":3,"score":0.30219998955726624},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C204323151","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q905424","display_name":"Range (aeronautics)","level":2,"score":0.29919999837875366},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11804174","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1192971","display_name":"Network theory","level":2,"score":0.29739999771118164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177142836","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q44455","display_name":"Game theory","level":2,"score":0.2953000068664551},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C131349576","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6378571","display_name":"Katz centrality","level":4,"score":0.29100000858306885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12725497","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q810247","display_name":"Baseline (sea)","level":2,"score":0.2703000009059906},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.26440000534057617},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107257861","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q656316","display_name":"Coordination game","level":2,"score":0.26339998841285706},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780009758","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6804172","display_name":"Measure (data warehouse)","level":2,"score":0.26249998807907104},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.25780001282691956},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64357122","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1149766","display_name":"Causality (physics)","level":2,"score":0.25119999051094055}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.16367","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Game-theoretic":[0],"models":[1,25,36],"and":[2,104],"solution":[3],"concepts":[4],"provide":[5,203],"rigorous":[6],"tools":[7],"for":[8,179,185],"predicting":[9],"collective":[10],"behavior":[11],"in":[12,75,93,123,156,199],"multi-agent":[13,76,95],"systems.":[14],"In":[15,56],"practice,":[16],"however,":[17],"different":[18,23],"agents":[19,99],"may":[20,100,202],"rely":[21],"on":[22,51,115],"game-theoretic":[24],"to":[26,137,169],"design":[27],"their":[28],"strategies.":[29],"As":[30],"a":[31,64,204],"result,":[32],"when":[33],"these":[34],"heterogeneous":[35],"interact,":[37],"the":[38,45,61,69,84,87,94,105,126,131,171,177,208],"realized":[39],"outcome":[40,46],"can":[41,135],"deviate":[42],"substantially":[43],"from":[44],"each":[47],"agent":[48,90],"expects":[49,108],"based":[50],"its":[52,110],"own":[53,111],"local":[54],"model.":[55,113],"this":[57,154,186],"work,":[58],"we":[59,119,193],"introduce":[60],"game-to-real":[62,79,140],"gap,":[63],"new":[65,180],"metric":[66],"that":[67,121,149,163,183,195],"quantifies":[68],"impact":[70,209],"of":[71,153,173,207,210],"such":[72],"model":[73,174,211],"misspecification":[74],"environments.":[77],"The":[78],"gap":[80,155],"is":[81],"defined":[82],"as":[83],"difference":[85],"between":[86],"utility":[88,106],"an":[89],"actually":[91],"obtains":[92],"environment":[96],"(where":[97],"other":[98],"have":[101],"misspecified":[102],"models)":[103],"it":[107],"under":[109],"game":[112],"Focusing":[114],"quadratic":[116,157],"network":[117,134,146,158,165,200],"games,":[118],"show":[120,194],"misspecifications":[122],"either":[124],"(i)":[125],"external":[127],"shock":[128],"or":[129],"(ii)":[130],"player":[132],"interaction":[133],"lead":[136],"arbitrarily":[138],"large":[139],"gaps.":[141],"We":[142],"further":[143],"develop":[144],"novel":[145],"centrality":[147,166,197],"measures":[148,167,198],"allow":[150],"exact":[151],"evaluation":[152],"games.":[159],"Our":[160],"analysis":[161],"reveals":[162],"standard":[164],"fail":[168],"capture":[170],"effects":[172],"misspecification,":[175],"underscoring":[176],"need":[178],"structural":[181],"metrics":[182],"account":[184],"limitation.":[187],"Finally,":[188],"through":[189],"illustrative":[190],"numerical":[191],"experiments,":[192],"existing":[196],"games":[201],"counterintuitive":[205],"understanding":[206],"misspecification.":[212]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-01-27T23:31:10.601533","created_date":"2026-01-27T00:00:00"}
