Component One: Section B Investigating Media Industries and Audiences Assassins Creed 3: Liberation Summary of Textbook p.115-119

Key Terms and Definitions: PEGI: The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. It was launched in 2003 and replaced a number of age rating systems. MMORPG: Massively multi player online role playing game Persistent Worlds: A feature of MMORPG games, meaning that the game world continues even when the player isn’t in it. In this way the virtual world replicates real life. CRPG: Computer role-playing game Augmented Reality: Computer-generated content overlaid on a real-world environment commonly used in video games. Avatar: The player’s representation of themselves within the game PlayStation Vita: A hand-held game console developed and released by Sony interactive entertainment. Ubisoft: French global computer game publisher and developer. Transgressive Behavior: Behavior that goes beyond the norms of social acceptability

Historical Context of Video Games Industry Overview: The computer games industry is relatively new in comparison with other media industries, but it has seen rapid growth in the last few years. Its profits have rivaled those of major films and sales of consoles are still expanding. The profiles of gamers has also changed in recent years, its no longer lone male teenagers in their bedroom its people of all demographics and genders. Gaming is also taken more seriously as a media industry and video games are accepted as media products.. Popular Consoles: Xbox 360 Play Station PlayStation Vita

Regulation of the Video Games Industry Overview: Until 2012 the classification of video games was carried out by both PEGI and the BBFC. This is now the role of the Video standards council (VSC) although the BBFC is still responsible for the rating of game trailers. The role of the VSC is to regulate and classify games using the PEGI system to give a game a rating and additional information about the content of the game that will help consumers, particularly parents, to decide upon the suitability of the game.

Regulation of the Video Games Industry Why is regulation necessary? Regulation in necessary for consumers who would be able to judge whether a game is suitable for them or their children, they can do this by looking at the age rating or the content in the game. This also means that consumers cant complain to the video game company if the content is unsuitable. What is PEGI? The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. It was launched in 2003 and replaced a number of age rating systems.

What’s the Audience Appeal of Video Games? Video games give the user experiences not available in other products. Many games offer a multi player online experience not replicated in any other media platform. In the MMORPG format a large number of players can be involved in the virtual world of a game at one time. These huge multi player games are also unique in that they have persistent worlds, which add to the realism of the experience

Set Product: Assassins Creed 3: Liberation Production, Distribution and Circulation: Was released on PlayStation Vita. This game is part of a very successful Assassin’s Creed franchise, it was developed by Ubisoft and was released alongside Assassin’s Creed III in October 2012. Assassins Creed III was the best selling game in the UK on the week of its release on the PlayStation 3, with the best sales of the series to date. It was the biggest launch in publisher Ubisoft’s history and the third biggest launch of any game in the UK. It was therefore a successful marketing ploy to release Assassins Creed III alongside this to benefit from its success and to have maximum on the 3 major gaming markets.

Set Product: Assassins Creed 3: Liberation Economic Context Summary: Video game sales are very competitive across the platforms and producers. PlayStation Vita is part of the 8th generation of gaming technology and was released to compete with the popular Nintendo 3DS. The game was originally exclusive to PS Vita but in a further marketing strategy I wad released in 2014 in a modified HD version across a larger range of consoles and platforms, including PlayStation 3 and XBox 360 consoles, to expand the audience reach and ensure greater economic success.

Set Product: Assassins Creed 3: Liberation Watch the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5RxYUw4DFY Challenge Question: How important is the trailer in the marketing of the game? The trailer gives the consumer an insight into what to expect from the game without it giving too much away, this creates suspense which also makes it more likely for the consume to want to purchase and play the game to find out what happens in the game. The fact that it also includes newer thigs like HD gameplay and other new features would also appeal to avid gamers who would look for these things when looing to buy a game. It is also crucial when trying to entice new gamers who may not care too much about the quality of the game but ore about the action and storyline which is shown in the trailer.

Set Product: Assassins Creed 3: Liberation What is the Unique Selling Point of the PS Vita?: It offers the consumer an immersive experience away from the constraints of the console or computer. Who is the Target Audience?: The “on the go” gamer who is attracted to the flexibility of the gaming experience. Why do you think the creators of the game included the (female/mixed race) character of Aveline de Grandpre? To address the rise in female gamers who would want a female role play experience.

Set Product: Assassins Creed 3: Liberation Social and Cultural Context: What issues are subject to debate in the gaming industry and why? The inclusion of a female central character reflects not only a change in the gaming industry but also in society. Gender issues are a subject of debate within the gaming industry, where most of the protagonists in the best selling games are male. Where female characters appear, this tends to be in games aimed at children, therefore game creators have been criticized to adhering to outdated stereotypes, as a result females tend to be under represented in games.

Set Product: Assassins Creed 3: Liberation Study the following gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L97VKWGPo78 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVmgHaL-ljs Key Question: Do you think that Aveline is a positive role model for female game players? I think that Aveline is a positive role model for female players in some aspects of the game. For example she is presented as being strog and independent which goes against gender stereotypes in society and the gaming world. She does though convey a slightly unrealistic personality in that she takes on several men in some gameplay and does not seem to have an issue which is unrealistic, this does fit in with the game itself though which is not meant to be realistic.

Key Theory: Bandura – Media Effects What does Bandura suggest in his idea? (3 key points) That the media plants ideas in the audience’s head and that the audience can pick up behaviors from games and other media forms.

Key Theory: Bandura – Media Effects Key Question: Do you agree with his theory? Can playing violent video games lead audiences to imitating them in real life? I don’t agree with this idea, mainly because games like assassins creed and GTA are unrealistic and are unable to be imitated even if someone wanted to, for example some of the action and violence in Assassins Creed would be very difficult to replicate and a normal person with no martial arts training which make sit very unlikely for someone to attempt to replicate it.