IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/compec/v66y2025i6d10.1007_s10614-025-10885-5.html

Efficient Differentiable Path-Following Methods for Computing Nash Equilibria

Author

Listed:
  • Yiyin Cao

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University, School of Management
    City University of Hong Kong, Department of Systems Engineering)

  • Chuangyin Dang

    (City University of Hong Kong, Department of Systems Engineering)

  • Yixiong Yu

    (Beihang University, School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering
    City University of Hong Kong, Department of Systems Engineering)

Abstract

The concept of Nash equilibrium, widely regarded as one of the fundamental and elegant ideas in game theory, holds great significance in various domains such as economic analysis and decision-making. Nonetheless, it remains a challenging problem to efficiently compute a Nash equilibrium in normal-form games especially when dealing with large problem sizes. To tackle this challenge, our paper delves into the exploration of various interior-point differentiable path-following methods. These methods are developed by creating three artificial games that integrate entropy-barrier, square-root-barrier, and logarithmic-barrier terms into payoff functions with an extra variable. Through the application of optimality conditions to these artificial games, in conjunction with equilibrium conditions and system variations, we derive nine equilibrium systems, specifying nine smooth paths. These paths start from a totally mixed strategy profile and approach a Nash equilibrium as the extra variable goes to zero. Through comprehensive numerical comparisons, we demonstrate the significant superiority of a logarithmic-barrier method and an entropy-barrier method that we developed over the existing four methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Yiyin Cao & Chuangyin Dang & Yixiong Yu, 2025. "Efficient Differentiable Path-Following Methods for Computing Nash Equilibria," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 66(6), pages 5155-5188, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:compec:v:66:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1007_s10614-025-10885-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10614-025-10885-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10614-025-10885-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10614-025-10885-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John C. Harsanyi & Reinhard Selten, 1988. "A General Theory of Equilibrium Selection in Games," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262582384, December.
    2. P. Herings & Ronald Peeters, 2010. "Homotopy methods to compute equilibria in game theory," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 42(1), pages 119-156, January.
    3. T. M. Doup & A. J. J. Talman, 1987. "A Continuous Deformation Algorithm on the Product Space of Unit Simplices," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 12(3), pages 485-521, August.
    4. Talman, A.J.J. & van der Laan, G. & Van der Heyden, L., 1987. "Variable dimension algorithms for solving the nonlinear complementarity problem on a product of unit simplices using general labelling," Other publications TiSEM fbe9ae2f-e01d-4eef-944c-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Richard McKelvey & Thomas Palfrey, 2015. "Erratum to: Quantal response equilibria for extensive form games," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(4), pages 762-763, December.
    6. Cao, Yiyin & Dang, Chuangyin & Xiao, Zhongdong, 2022. "A differentiable path-following method to compute subgame perfect equilibria in stationary strategies in robust stochastic games and its applications," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 298(3), pages 1032-1050.
    7. Govindan, Srihari & Wilson, Robert, 2003. "A global Newton method to compute Nash equilibria," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 110(1), pages 65-86, May.
    8. Turocy, Theodore L., 2005. "A dynamic homotopy interpretation of the logistic quantal response equilibrium correspondence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 243-263, May.
    9. Srihari Govindan & Robert Wilson, 2010. "A decomposition algorithm for N-player games," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 42(1), pages 97-117, January.
    10. Chuangyin Dang & Yinyu Ye & Zhisu Zhu, 2011. "An interior-point path-following algorithm for computing a Leontief economy equilibrium," Computational Optimization and Applications, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 223-236, October.
    11. P. Jean-Jacques Herings, 2000. "Two simple proofs of the feasibility of the linear tracing procedure," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 15(2), pages 485-490.
    12. Theodore Turocy, 2010. "Computing sequential equilibria using agent quantal response equilibria," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 42(1), pages 255-269, January.
    13. McKelvey Richard D. & Palfrey Thomas R., 1995. "Quantal Response Equilibria for Normal Form Games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 6-38, July.
    14. Chuangyin Dang & P. Jean-Jacques Herings & Peixuan Li, 2022. "An Interior-Point Differentiable Path-Following Method to Compute Stationary Equilibria in Stochastic Games," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 1403-1418, May.
    15. Doup, T.M. & Talman, A.J.J., 1987. "A new simplicial variable dimension algorithm to find equilibria on the product space of unit simplices," Other publications TiSEM 398740e7-fdc2-41b6-968f-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. McKelvey, Richard D. & McLennan, Andrew, 1996. "Computation of equilibria in finite games," Handbook of Computational Economics, in: H. M. Amman & D. A. Kendrick & J. Rust (ed.), Handbook of Computational Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 2, pages 87-142, Elsevier.
    17. Herings, P. Jean-Jacques & van den Elzen, Antoon, 2002. "Computation of the Nash Equilibrium Selected by the Tracing Procedure in N-Person Games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 89-117, January.
    18. John Geanakoplos, 2003. "Nash and Walras equilibrium via Brouwer," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 21(2), pages 585-603, March.
    19. P. Jean-Jacques Herings & Ronald J.A.P. Peeters, 2001. "symposium articles: A differentiable homotopy to compute Nash equilibria of n -person games," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 18(1), pages 159-185.
    20. Kohlberg, Elon & Mertens, Jean-Francois, 1986. "On the Strategic Stability of Equilibria," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(5), pages 1003-1037, September.
    21. Eaves, B. Curtis & Schmedders, Karl, 1999. "General equilibrium models and homotopy methods," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 23(9-10), pages 1249-1279, September.
    22. G. van der Laan & A. J. J. Talman & L. van der Heyden, 1987. "Simplicial Variable Dimension Algorithms for Solving the Nonlinear Complementarity Problem on a Product of Unit Simplices Using a General Labelling," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 12(3), pages 377-397, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cao, Yiyin & Dang, Chuangyin, 2022. "A variant of Harsanyi's tracing procedures to select a perfect equilibrium in normal form games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 127-150.
    2. Yiyin Cao & Yin Chen & Chuangyin Dang, 2024. "A Variant of the Logistic Quantal Response Equilibrium to Select a Perfect Equilibrium," Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 201(3), pages 1026-1062, June.
    3. P. Herings & Ronald Peeters, 2010. "Homotopy methods to compute equilibria in game theory," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 42(1), pages 119-156, January.
    4. Yiyin Cao & Chuangyin Dang & Yabin Sun, 2022. "Complementarity Enhanced Nash’s Mappings and Differentiable Homotopy Methods to Select Perfect Equilibria," Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 192(2), pages 533-563, February.
    5. Yiyin Cao & Yin Chen & Chuangyin Dang, 2024. "A Differentiable Path-Following Method with a Compact Formulation to Compute Proper Equilibria," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 36(2), pages 377-396, March.
    6. Yiyin Cao & Chuangyin Dang, 2025. "A Characterization of Reny's Weakly Sequentially Rational Equilibrium through $\varepsilon$-Perfect $\gamma$-Weakly Sequentially Rational Equilibrium," Papers 2505.19496, arXiv.org.
    7. Cao, Yiyin & Dang, Chuangyin & Xiao, Zhongdong, 2022. "A differentiable path-following method to compute subgame perfect equilibria in stationary strategies in robust stochastic games and its applications," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 298(3), pages 1032-1050.
    8. Govindan, Srihari & Wilson, Robert, 2004. "Computing Nash equilibria by iterated polymatrix approximation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 28(7), pages 1229-1241, April.
    9. Dang, Chuangyin & Herings, P. Jean-Jacques & Li, Peixuan, 2020. "An Interior-Point Path-Following Method to Compute Stationary Equilibria in Stochastic Games," Research Memorandum 001, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    10. Bernhard Stengel, 2010. "Computation of Nash equilibria in finite games: introduction to the symposium," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 42(1), pages 1-7, January.
    11. Peixuan Li & Chuangyin Dang & P. Jean-Jacques Herings, 2024. "Computing perfect stationary equilibria in stochastic games," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 78(2), pages 347-387, September.
    12. Yuqing Hou & Yiyin Cao & Chuangyin Dang & Yong Wang, 2025. "A sequence-form differentiable path-following method to compute Nash equilibria," Computational Optimization and Applications, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 265-300, September.
    13. Turocy, Theodore L., 2005. "A dynamic homotopy interpretation of the logistic quantal response equilibrium correspondence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 243-263, May.
    14. Theodore L. Turocy, 2002. "A Dynamic Homotopy Interpretation of Quantal Response Equilibrium Correspondences," Game Theory and Information 0212001, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 16 Oct 2003.
    15. Porter, Ryan & Nudelman, Eugene & Shoham, Yoav, 2008. "Simple search methods for finding a Nash equilibrium," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 642-662, July.
    16. Steffen Eibelshäuser & Victor Klockmann & David Poensgen & Alicia von Schenk, 2023. "The Logarithmic Stochastic Tracing Procedure: A Homotopy Method to Compute Stationary Equilibria of Stochastic Games," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 35(6), pages 1511-1526, November.
    17. Sam Ganzfried, 2020. "Fast Complete Algorithm for Multiplayer Nash Equilibrium," Papers 2002.04734, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2023.
    18. Yiyin Cao & Chuangyin Dang, 2025. "A Characterization of Nash Equilibrium in Behavioral Strategies through Local Sequential Rationality," Papers 2504.00529, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2025.
    19. Herings, P. Jean-Jacques & Peeters, Ronald J. A. P., 2004. "Stationary equilibria in stochastic games: structure, selection, and computation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 32-60, September.
    20. Chuangyin Dang & P. Jean-Jacques Herings & Peixuan Li, 2022. "An Interior-Point Differentiable Path-Following Method to Compute Stationary Equilibria in Stochastic Games," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 1403-1418, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:compec:v:66:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1007_s10614-025-10885-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.