Cooperation mechanism for a network game

Many real world Multi Agent Systems encompass a large population of self interested agents which are connected with one another in an intricate network. If one is willing to accept the common axioms of Game Theory one can assume that the population will arrange itself into an equilibrium state. The present position paper proposes to use a mediating cooperative distributed algorithm instead. A setting where agents have to choose one action out of two - download information or free-ride their neighbors' effort - has been studied recently. The present position paper proposes a method for constructing a Distributed Constraint Optimization Problem (DCOP) for a Network Game. The main result is that one can show that by cooperatively minimizing the constmcted DCOP for a global solution all agents stand to gain at least as much as their equilibrium gain, and often more. This provides a mechanism for cooperation in a Network Game that is beneficial for all participating agents.