Previously we have considered the (largely fallacious) idea that videogames have a 'direct' affect on their audience. We have furthered this idea by thinking about Stuart Hall's reception theory, and how different audiences will of course react in completely different ways. However, there are still two more theories that we can apply to help us understand how audiences react to videogames.
Active models of audience: Henry Jenkins and Clay Shirky
Task one - defining theory
We've looked at these two guys before! But, using your own notes, an internet resource, the theories and theorist post, and/or the theories and theorist video, write down a short, sharp definition of both of these theorists (Jenkins and Shirky)
Task two - examples of fandom: active audience engagement
This next bit is simple!
Jenkins often referred to the active process of audience participation as 'textual poaching'. Basically audiences can 'poach' or steal exactly what they want from a media product, and the most active fans will then take their favorite bits and create their own fan works, which can include fan films, fan fiction, fan art, cosplay and so on. For Clay Shirky, this whole process proves that the audience are now basically producers in their own right, which is something that videogame producers are increasingly relying on!
For the following examples of fandom, click the following links, check out the fan material, try not to cringe, and make notes under the following bullet points
- How does this fan product allow fans the opportunity to explore their favorite franchise?
- How does Ubisoft benefit from fans creating this product?
- Why on earth would a fan make this, beyond just liking the franchise?
- What opportunities does this product give fans the opportunity to interact with other fans?
- How does this product meet the needs of the audience of Assassin's Creed?