How does the trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla simultaneously appeal to niche and mainstream audiences?
According to David Hesmondhalgh, it is essential for industries to minimise risk and maximise profit. Why does a video game like Assassin’s Creed need to target a mass audience? And, more importantly, how does it do this?
- The historical setting ties in with the franchise, and allows audiences to identify the game as an archetypal Assassin’s Creed
- The visuals of the trailer are realistic and high fidelity and high production values. A good example is the level of detail on the faces of the heroes in the cut scenes. Covered in scars and wrinkles, this provides the audience with a guarantee of quality
- A big emphasis on fight scenes provides a niche video game audience with an assurance that this game has fighting in it. However, trailer is absolutely filled with the conventions of the action film. This includes the MES of swords, blood, and death . This allows the trailer to target a mass audience of pre-existing fans of actions
- A range of different genres and a clear narrative that engages an audience that are unfamiliar with games. Games often do not have a clear narrative, yet this trailer emphasise one for the audience
- Based in Viking England, appealing to people who are interested in historical settings.
- A complete lack of sci fi elements despite the game technically being sci. This allows it to target a more mainstream
- There is a lack of gameplay footage in this trailer. It misses out on elements such as picking berries, smashing barrels, climbing rocks and so on. While these are core parts of the gameplay, they are not exciting to a generalised audience, therefore minimising risk and maximising profit. The trailer therefore creates a sense of what the game is like to play, without using gameplay footage
- The PEGI 18 rating is prominently displayed throughout the entire trailer, and suggests that this is a mature game for adults. This allows the trailer to target a more adult and mature audience, while also hinting at the extreme violence that the game will have
- There is very little ‘assassination’ in this trailer, and very few references to older games. However, there is one explicit reference to older games, the ‘arm blade’, specifically included to appeal to fans of the game
- The trailer looks similar to many other videogames and other franchises. The representation of Odin makes reference to the God of War franchise. It also resembles The Vikings, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and so on.
- Appeals to a niche, assassin’s creed audience through the MES of the hidden blade. This feature has been included in every game, and informs the audience that this game is part of their favourite franchise
- However, the theme of this games appears to be radically different, providing audiences with something new
- Steve Neale - repetition and difference
- Big emphasis on action conventions. Shouting, violence (exciting and fantasy), and stabbing noises. By using the conventions of the action film, a more entertaining mode of address is constructed for the generalised target
