For this session, you will collect research on another videogame that is NOT part of the Assassin's Creed franchise, or developed or published by Ubisoft.
Not only will this give you the opportunity to offer a counterpoint to the aims and functions of the AC franchise in the exam, it will also allow you to explore industry and audience with something that you like.
In order to make this session REALLY useful, I recommend you select an 'indie' or independent game. A list of potential case studies can be found below. However, if there's a big budget game you want to write about, then you do you!
These activities can be completed in any order. Go straight for what you find most interesting!
Industry
- Marketing - find a trailer for this game. How does this trailer appeal to potential audiences?
- Ownership - which organisation produces this game? which organisation publishes this game? And who owns these companies? What country/s is this organisation based in?
- Production - How was this game produced? What was the budget? What key personnel worked on this game? How is this typical of its production contexts
- Regulation - What PEGI (or BBFC) rating does this game have? What aspects of this game are controversial, or may cause harm or offense?
- Distribution - How can this game be bought? Physical, digital? Any special editions?
Audience
- Diverse audience interactions - what are some different ways that audiences can play this game? What modes, accessibility options, language options etc are available?
- Target audience- Who is the specific target audience for this product? and how are they targeted through the structure of the game and the marketing?
- Niche and mass audiences - Does this product appeal to both niche and mass audiences? Give explicit examples of how!
- Experience - How is the narrative of this game compelling? How does this game use genre conventions to appeal to audiences?
- Fan base - does this game have a big fan base? What does this game do to appeal to a core fanbase? What examples of fan art, fan fiction and fan videos exist for this game?
- Gameplay - Find a gameplay video of this game. How is this game appealing to it's audience? What are some different audience negotiations of this game?
Examples of indie or non-AAA games (but please pick your own example!)
- 1000xResist
- Animal Well
- Arco
- Crow Country
- Doki Doki Literature Club
- Five Nights at Freddies
- Paranormasight
- Paratopic
- Romeo Is A Dead Man
- Stiens;Gate
- Undertale