Revision Sessions

Thursday 3rd January 10-12pm

Video GamesInstitutions and Audiences

7 Point Key term Test

1. Media Ownership

• What is Media Ownership?

• How does it apply to– Wii?– Braid?

• What are the issues of Media Ownership?

What are the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary

media practice?

• There are many issues surrounding media ownership in the video games industry. These issues consist of who owns the licenses, brands, technology, software, hardware and intellectual property of a media product. Both Global and national institutions have issues surrounding media ownership, however the issues vary greatly for both the institutions and audiences. I shall be discussing the issues of Media ownership by comparing the Global institution Nintendo to the video games developer of Braid, Jonathan Blow.

2a. Cross Media Convergence

• What is Cross Media Convergence?

• How does it apply to the production, distribution and marketing of– Wii– Braid?

• What is the importance of cross media convergence?

2b. Synergy

• What is Synergy?

• How does it apply to the production, distribution and marketing of– Wii– Braid?

• What is the importance of synergy?

What is the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in

production, distribution and marketing?

• Cross media convergences and synergy are crucial aspects of the production, distribution and marketing stages within the video games industry. Institutions work together to create synergy for their brands through cross media convergence. This is particularly evident with the global institution, Nintendo. Cross media convergence has drastically evolved in recent years which has made it possible for national institutions such as Braid to get recognition. In this essay I shall be discussing the importance of cross media convergence and synergy for both global and national institutions and its impact on audiences.

What are the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of

production, distribution, marketing and exchange?

• Over the last decade new technologies have drastically changed the way institutions produce, distribute and market their product within the video games industry. Digitisation has revolutionised the gaming industry. Both global and national institutions have capitalised on these new technologies. Nintendo is an example of an innovative institution whom has introduced revolutionary technologies to the video games industry. Jonathon Blow is an example of an independent national developer who has used new technology to produce, distribute and market his game Braid. Both games evidence the change of new technologies and their impact on the production, distribution, marketing and exchange of the video game.

3. Digitisation • What is digitisation?

• What new technologies have been introduced to the production of video games?– E.g Wii (revolutionary, wireless) and Braid (SDK)

• How have new technologies made it easier to distribute and market video games?– DLC, internet, phones (technological convergence)

• What are the new technologies that have revolutionised the gameplay of video games? (Hint: How has new technology impacted exchange? MMORPGs, SDK, Social Networking games)

4. Proliferation

• What is proliferation?

• What is the importance of proliferation for – Wii (wireless, sport games, technological

convergence)– Braid (SDK, DLC)?

• How has proliferation impacted audiences?

• What is proliferation?A rapid increase of media text – rapid increase of a certain

genre of game e.g. War games - rapid increase of a certain type of technology e.g. wireless controllers (Wii) motion sensing controllers (I toy).

• What is the importance of proliferation for – Wii (wireless, sport games, technological convergence)– Wireless controller – PS – X Box– Why? Competition – there is no monoply – Braid (SDK, DLC)?Loads of platform and puzzle games = high

demand for casual games– More innovation with SDK– DLC – loads of audiences media convergence – DLC – loads more choice for audiences

• How has proliferation impacted audiences?– More choice – what should I buy?– Lack of variety – what if you wanted something different?

What is the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions

and audience?Proliferation has drastically impacted the hardware and

content of the video games industry and its audiences. With the rapid increase of new technology institutions are now producing a wide array of hardware and content. There are many positives for both institutions and audiences with the proliferation of video game consoles and games. Both global and national institutions have capitalised on proliferation in different ways, for example the global institution Nintendo and the national game Braid. As well as the positive implication of proliferation for the video games industry there come many problems. In this essay I will be discussing both the problems and positives for both global and national institutions .

5. Technological Convergence

• What is technological convergence?• How has technological convergence impacted

– Wii– Braid (could it exist without media and technological convergence)?

• What is the importance of technological convergence for institutions?

• What is the importance of technological convergence for audiences?

• What is technological convergence?– More than two technologies in a single media platform – E.g. Wii – Games console, internet, TV, music, shop, weather, photos, social

interaction• How has technological convergence impacted

– Wii – more versatile, attract a mass audience, media convergence – advertises several other institutions (more profits)

– Braid (could it exist without media and technological convergence)? – SDK and DLC play on Xbox by downloading it

– COMPARE that Wii is better – you can do more– PS3 is even better than Wii

• What is the importance of technological convergence for institutions?– Makes it more appealing to audiences (wider Target audience)– Less hardware costs (creating DVD separately etc)– Competition – the console wants to be perceived as the ‘Newest’

technology/gadget out in the market– Compete with other e.g. bluray players compete wuth non console makers e.g.

panasonic• What is the importance of technological convergence for audiences?

– Get more for your money– Home entertainment system for the whole family – appeal to wider audience– Wii wider audience– Prosumer – consumers becoming the developers e.g. Braid

What is the importance of technological convergence for

institutions and audiences?• In recent years technological convergence

has revolutionised the video games industry. Technological convergence is..

• Global and national

•

6. Issues In Marketing for National Audiences

• Do global institutions market to national/local (British) Audiences?

• How has the Wii been marketed British audiences?

• What are the issues with Global institutions marketing to national/local audiences?

• Prosumer – audiences creating unique games (e.g Braid) Can they target national audiences?

• Do global institutions market to national/local (British) Audiences?

• How has the Wii been marketed British audiences?• Yes – Worldwide audience, Sports is in every country,

Marketing of Wii Sports in UK – football using Redknapps in the advertising appealed to a British Audience

• Wii Sports – Tennis – representation of Wimbledon – grass terrain

• NTSC and PAL format to appeal to audiences worldwide • What are the issues with Global institutions marketing to

national/local audiences?– The actual games and console has no identity– By appealing to mass audience it shows no individuality – Consistent synergy so the institution can make the most money– Stereotype the world

• Prosumer – audiences creating unique games (e.g Braid/fable) Can they target national audiences?– Global institutions have more competition with independent

developers – Angry birds e.g. 50 Mill users– Audiences have more variety for games

What are the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically British)

by international or global institutions?

• Introduction • Paragraph 1

What are the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically British)

by international or global institutions?

• There are many issues raised by institutions for targeting national and local audiences within the production, distribution and marketing stages. It can be argued that Global institutions use clever marketing to target national and local audiences even though there are no representations of national or local audiences. Global institutions such as Nintendo market their products to national and local audiences through their marketing strategies. National institutions such as fable have representations of a national audiences, however it can be argued that this may limit the target audience.

7. Media consumption• What is Media consumption?• What is a stereotypical gamer?

– Give Braid as an example and explain why• Why has the audience for video games changed

over the last few years?– Give Wii as an example and explain why– Mention phones and technological convergence– Prosumer: consumers and SDK

• What patterns and trends do you notice with audiences due to digitisation of video games?– Mention Moral panics, pros and cons of video games– ALWAYS back it up with examples of video games – Wider target audience due to digitisation (everyone has

phones and playing games now)

• What is Media consumption?– How a media product is bought and played by the consumer.

• What is a stereotypical gamer?– Teenage male, anti social, obese, nerd– Puzzle game, narrative, fantasy. How can you find out about Braid?

Blogs and reviews – who will know about the game – stereotypical gamer

• Why has the audience for video games changes over the last few years?– New technology, digitisation – Wii – variety games, motion sensing, marketing appeals to families – Exchange - Multiplayer– Mention phones ad technological convergence – casual games on

phones– Prosumer: consumers and SDK

• What patterns and trends do you notice with audiences due to digitisation of video games?– Mention Moral panics, pros and cons of video games– ALWAYS back it up with examples of video games