A2 MEDIA - TEXT, INDUSTRY AND AUDIENCE



AS MEDIA – Media Industries and AudiencesCase Study – Assassin’s Creed III: LiberationRevision Booklet55033310223500Produced: 2012Company: UbisoftFormat: Handheld, ConsoleDistributor: PlayStationAS Component 1: Investigating Media Industries and AudiencesFocus areas:Media ContextsAudiences Media Industries “The video game industry has prospered as games continue to not only alter the entertainment landscape, but change business, sports, arts and education. While 20 years ago games were a niche entertainment medium, today they are a strong enough engine for innovation across sectors. Our industry plays a significant role throughout society.” ()Theorists to consider:Blumler and Katz – Uses and GratificationsAudiences make active use of the media to fulfil certain needsAlbert Bandura – Media EffectsAudience reflects behaviour taken from a media productGeorge Gerbner – Cultivation TheoryAudience views, values and habits formed through regular or repeated consumption of mediaHenry Jenkins - Fandom Fans are active participants in production and circulation of media productsLivingston and Lunt – Media RegulationThe role of regulation on both product and audienceDavid Hesmondhalgh – Cultural Industries Mainstream products seek to minimise risk and maximise audiencesAreas to focus on:Historical contextProduct contextEconomic contextSocial and Cultural contextsTechnologyProduction, distribution and circulationRegulationAudienceMedia EffectsCultural IndustriesHISTORICAL CONTEXT – THE GAMES INDUSTRYRapid growth in recent yearsFinancial profits rivalling major filmsSales of mobile gaming and other hardware expandingThe image above shows the actual growth of the global games market from 2012-2018 and the projected growth for the following three yearsThe expansion of mobile gaming has come at the expense of both PC and Console gaming, although all three areas are forecasted to get biggerThe expansion in mobile gaming, in particular, can also be found in the next illustration PRODUCT CONTEXTVariety of consoles offer a diverse gaming experience267758344662003992036498300 3021542171081005073657768100 PlayStation launched Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation on the handheld mobile device PS Vita159152214202800The game offers familiar pleasures to existing fans of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, such as narrative situation of Assassins v the Templars and open world gameplayIntroduced new elements to target a wider audience, such as availability of the product through devices and the use of a strong female protagonist (to be drawn upon in the Audiences section of this booklet)ECONOMIC CONTEXTVideo games are financially significant across the major territoriesRelease of new game can be a media eventInitial sales of Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation were very goodOriginally released exclusively on PS Vita (2012) – hand-held device2014 – Released on a range of consoles and platforms to ensure economic success, including PS3, Xbox360, Microsoft Windows for PCConsidered to be part of the current 8th generation of games technologyWATCHWatch the video ‘Market analyst Stephanie Llamas on China 's growing gaming industry’ (‘Assassin’s Creed’ Moodle folder) terms of the economic situation (market value) of the Games Industry in the UK comparing 2017 and 2018, this can be seen through the illustration below:16933444510028435304508500SOCIAL and CULTURAL CONTEXTSProfile of gamers has changed over timeGamers are diverse in age, demographic and genderAssumptions that the vast majority of gamers are adolescent/young adult males is a mythIn recent years there has been the rise of multi-player which broadens experience and brings audience together Gaming is now a global phenomenonPlaying of computer games taken more seriouslyVideo game products valid for academic studyBecoming more complex in construction and demanding of the playerProblems with regulation due to wide availability (see REGULATION section)TECHNOLOGYWATCH Evolution of Video Games In 3 Minutes or Less (1940-2018) Vita2012 – building on increasing success of mobile technologyPS Vita designed with features associated with smartphonesBrought high game production values to mobile gamingDistribution – purchased online through PS Networx and other major outletsThe illustration below demonstrates the popularity of devices in the UK (2018)PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION and CIRCULATIONPart of successful Assassin’s Creed franchise (ensuring financial success?) developed by Ubisoft, the French video games company and released through Sony11427881545200Launched alongside Assassin’s Creed 3248920017420200190517420100Most economically successful of the franchise at that timeBiggest launch in Ubisoft’s historyMaximum impact for sales of both titlesReleased through Sony on their PlayStation hardwareMarketing and DistributionWATCHThe trailer for Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation (link also in the AC3 folder on Moodle) playing videos on YouTube suggesting different playing techniques (link also in the AC3 folder on Moodle) content downloadable to enhance playing experience. This relates to changing patterns of consumptionUse of convergent technology to allow wider access of additional content and to play the game on a variety of devices (see next section)Use of the female protagonist, Aveline, within the marketing campaign63728100040023248194798400DIGITALLY CONVERGENT MEDIA PLATFORMSWhat do these words mean?Digital Media Convergence – the ability for media producers to make varied media content available through the same device; e,g. being able to watch films and play games through a mobile phone, or accessing the internet and social media through a games console etc. Media Platform – the way through which a media product can be accessed, e.g. cinema, smart TV, mobile device, DAB radio, games console etc.Hand held PS Vita could be linked to full PS3 console version – able to unlock additional contentUse of convergence relevant to promotion, marketing and circulationLink back to accessibility of the game and widening audience participationThe illustration below highlights the possibilities for digitally convergent media platforms currently in the UK REGULATION - UKVideo games largely regulated by the Video Standards Council (VSC)Applies the Pan European Game Information system (PEGI)PEGI – similar to British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for filmRates games according to AGE and VISUAL CONTENT Seeks to protect children across Europe 370406311766700AC3: Liberation classified as an 18 rating due the level of violence in the game being considered as gross – certain acts may be seen as horrific methods of killingLivingstone and Lunt state that regulation (control) across the various digital media industries is difficult, due to easier access to the material by the audience through digital technology. Many concerns have been raised about the fast development of technology, the access to it, and the ability of regulators to keep pace with it. READThe following link provides a good understanding of how the PEGI regulation system works (or maybe doesn’t) games are useful texts to study in relation to GENDER ISSUESThese can be through:Representation of female characters Often sexualised and used as secondary charactersRepresented through costume and body shape rather than personality One of the most iconic of female characters in computer games is Lara Croft, from the Tomb Raider franchiseAs this illustration shows, her characterisation has changed to some significant extent over time, from her first appearance in 1996 to present. Other video games and franchises (including Tomb Raider) regularly feature female characters in terms of appearance, and frequently of a highly-sexualised nature341174714383300168646415246000left13520700Through the character of Aveline, Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation were seeking to subvert the stereotype:right20757300Through costume Through actionThrough ethnicityWe can perhaps take from this that the creators of the game are attempting to not only change the perception of a female character, but to also potentially make the game appealing to a female audience? This would, again potentially, widen the demographic. A further gender issue to consider is the under-representation of females within the gaming industry. This may have some connection to the representation of female characters and players within the industry and wider gaming community11511237408000Video games can also be studied through the representation of those who play them, which again can be often linked to the player’s genderIt is worth revisiting the illustration which identifies the relatively small percentage gap between genders, in terms of game playingThe illustration below may seem slightly frivolous, but the message is clear, in terms of how female games players, and not just characters, are sometimes represented, considered and constructed 68580013470400AUDIENCE APPEAL OF COMPUTER GAMESBelow are a selection of possibilities for the appeal of computer games – you may be able to consider more, especially if you are a games playerGives the user a unique experienceThe player can become characters The player can change or adopt a different identity when playingSome games allow a player to determine different outcomesThe engagement with fantasy or ‘alternative worlds’ – AC3: Liberation has ‘open world play’, which allows the player to have freedom to explore the virtual worldThe participation in gaming communities and forging relationshipsIt is not uncommon for players to shape and influence the industry itself (see FANDOM)We can incorporate Blumler and Katz’s ‘Uses and Gratifications’ theory into the playing of games, and these can be applied to the playing of Assassin’s Creed III: LiberationSurveillanceSome games linked to world events – AC3:Liberation is set in 18th century New Orleans, America Personal IdentityPlayers able to change or reinforce identityInteractionMulti-player functions allows for interacting with othersEscapismEngagement with extraordinary environmentsAUDIENCE ENGAGEMENTMade for PS Vita (hand held device) – unique selling point Potentially aimed at more casual or mobile gamer – opposite to traditional console and PC gamersReceived positive reviews from female game playersUse of female protagonist – unusual in the franchiseMay appeal to a different demographic – gender, ethnic, ageMight appeal to female players on a mobile – rather than traditional male stereotype sitting at a console for hours? FANDOM We can certainly include the notion of ‘participatory culture’ as highlighted by Henry Jenkins, with reference to the playing of computer games generally, and applying it to AC3: Liberation, specifically.It is worth noting that the evolvement of video games has occurred alongside the development of the Internet, which naturally allows players to interact on many levels, both with games and other players.In this sense, the player is always ‘active’ in playing the game, but also in developing online material, such as ‘walk-throughs’, reviews and commentaries. The ‘activity’ also extends to how subsequent versions of the game are developed, changed or adapted.The Assassin’s Creed franchise has a strong and developed fan-base, which is also reflected in the use of ‘cos-play’ at franchise and games conventions, such as Comic-Con1919173952500right4435400 EFFECTS THEORY32991611090300A theory often associated with Albert Bandura Media implants ideas directly into the audienceAlso referred to as Social Learning TheoryAudiences are ‘modelled’ to acquire attitudes and emotional responsesBased on repetition and over-exposureRepresents Transgressive BehaviourWhat is Transgressive Behaviour?Behaviour which goes beyond norms of social acceptabilityOften associated with violence and physical aggressionLeads audience to imitate and replicate a form of behaviourOften referenced in Bandura’s famous ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment (1961-1963)WATCHThe ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment (3.47) games often criticised for assumed effect over-exposure has on behaviourConsidered to affect the young and impressionable, in particularImmersion in a game can lead to difficulties in distancing from what is real and what is fantasyMany academic studies have been carried out regarding the possible link between playing video games and their supposed negative effect on the player, particularly in terms of violence and sexualized contentCULTIVATION THEORYGeorge Gerbner’s theory may also be applied to the playing of video games, and for AC3: LiberationThe theory sets out the media can be responsible for shaping, or ‘cultivating’ audiences’ conceptions of social reality Can be linked to gamers having a pre-conceived perception of female charactersAlso could be linked to how female gamers are perceived by male gamers, or how male gamers are perceived by the games they might playCULTURAL INDUSTRIES We can use David Hesmondhalgh’s theory to explore the way in which cultural industry companies, such as Ubisoft and Sony, might attempt to minimise risk and maximise audiencesThe game is part of an established franchise with a large fan-base. Producers are clearly attempting to harness the popularity of this franchise to encourage sales both of the game itself and the hand-held device the PS Vita. The video game industry offers many comparable examples of attempts to use software (games) to sell hardware (games systems and platforms).Exam-style questionsHaving gone through this revision booklet consider how you might answer the following exam-style questions:Briefly explain what is meant by the term ‘regulation’Explain how the producers of video games ensure their financial success. Refer to Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation to support your pointsExplain the impact of recent technological changes on the video games industry. Refer to Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation to support your pointsExplain how audiences might be positioned to engage with video games. Refer to Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation to support your pointsExplain how the range of platforms used to distribute video games might affect the experience of playing them. Refer to Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation to support your pointsExplain the impact of digitally convergent media platforms on global production, distribution and circulation. Refer to Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation to support your pointsExplain some of the issues related to female characters in video games. Refer to Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation to support your points ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download