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Nintendo Properties:
1 - Mario Cart (best selling Nintendo game)
2 - The Legend Of Zelda
3 - Splatoon
4 - Metroid
5 - Pikmin
6 - Animal Crossing New Horizons
Paper two is titled 'evolving media' and it focuses on how media industries develop and adapt over time. You have 2 of these 3 case studies/ industries based questions in the exam: Game (Animal Crossing), Radio (Radio One Breakfast Show and Film (Shang-Chi and Snow White).
Production > Distribution > Consumption
8-9 months minimum Internet Release across platforms
Right acquisitions TV
Voice Actors Social Media
Coders
Animal Crossing:
Animal Crossing is part of a franchise of video games developed and published by Nintendo. The series has been running for over twenty years (since 2001). It is officially a social simulation game, rather from gun fights it emulates many aspects of real life (fishing, gardening, decorating). The game was conceptualized and made by 'Katsuya Eguchi' and 'Hisachi Nogami'. The game was initially announced for release on the Nintendo Switch in 2018, however, it was actually released in March 2020. It became the first console game to reach 5 million digital sales within a singular month, this was definitely attributed to by the social distancing and stay at home orders during the long lasted COVID-19 pandemic, despite the eagerly waiting prior fans.
The game even won title of Best Family Game at The Game Awards 2020. New Horizons eclipsed the lifetime of sales of past installments within only six weeks of its release, becoming the second best selling game on The Nintendo Switch with 37.62 million sales. It grossed an estimated $2 billion in it's first year, the fifth highest ever first-year revenue for any video game.
Key Aspects of the game:
- Multiplayer
- Social simulation (gameplay is living another life)
- Relaxing, colourful, natural (untypical and unique)
- Gardening, building, fishing, chatting to NPC's.
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Game profits from escapism.
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microsoft have a 100 year plan for their games.
Macro: big facts about the industry
1: video games are a younger industry than film and TV, 70s to 80s is when it begun, meaning many underestimate it.
2: Consumer game software market was valued at just over £4 billion in 2021.
3: It has grown 11% in comparison to a (roughly) £4 billion total from 2019 figures.
4: Spending on digital console games has decreased in recent years by 5% to £2 billion. This is mostly due to lack of huge releases.
PlaySation 2 is the biggest selling console of all time.
DOOM Crossing
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Money/ Monetization:
20 years ago, there was only really one revenue stream, the only way a game could make money was by the purchase of the game itself, the game cartridge or disk. Some examples of how games make a profit now are: in game stores/ currency which allows users to purchase things in the game. The internet has made this possible (new skins, outfits, modifications, expansion packs → DLC = Downloadable Content). These days, if you wish to download something, you link your bank details to these game companies to downloads content.
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Controversies - Pay To Win:
Some consumers are reasonably disappointed and unhappy regarding the fairness in many games where purchases are needed to win. The fairness is now non existent and financial stability affects the amount of fun people have.
Loot boxes: encourage internet gambling for kids. (EA Sports gained 1.6 billion dollars in one FIFA game in a singular year)
Spending of kids seems wildly out of control, overall creating bad reputation for the game companies.
Some companies have the possibility to request cancellations and refunds on orders within a specific time period of the purchase, although this has complications and limits.
Nintendo's Morals:
- Nintendo originally resisted any type of monetization, majority of loot boxes and DLC, instead they generally focus a longer average of producing high quality, bug free games for their consumers. Quality is prioritized. Nintendo Online is a way users can get lots of retro games downloaded for free and expandable content via a subscription. As of 2023, there are more than 38 million paid Nintendo Online Subscribers.
- When Animal Crossing was originally released it costed a high end '£50' which is typically a lot more in comparison than other games. However, it doesn't involve any micro transactions/ in game purchases. Instead users are encouraged to take their time with the game setting 'break' pop ups.
- Nintendo is extremely careful with their IP'S, ensuring everything is quality. However, they do embrace branded merchandise and synergy, a temporary partnership or collaboration of two companies to make a higher profit. (an example of this is animal crossing and monopoly collaboration which released, or villagers from animal crossing now inside of super smash bros).
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There are 3 different type of gamers: casual, core and hard core. Reasons people play can contain: creation, action, achievement, mastery, social community interaction
CAGEDO:
- Class = appeals to those in lower class as the simulated house allows dream décor and customization, allowing players to escape difficult unideal reality. Whilst also appealing to those in higher class as they can escape their responsibilities.
- Age = appeals to younger generations as they want freedom and independence without forced guidance. Also appeals to older generations as they want to escape the hard financial responsibilities and allows them to relax and have a break. As well as specifically young 30 year old's wanting to play New Horizons to feel nostalgia
- Gender = Majority of games were typically male before more devices introduced gaming. Animal Crossing is however mainly produced of a female fanbase.
- Ethnicity =
- Disability/ other =
Audrey:
Audrey is a 87 year old woman who plays Animal crossing almost everyday from Christmas 2015's when she got her 3DS. She became such a staple she even received a new 3DS after she broke her own from a fan who wishes her a happy Christmas. This is an amazing example of the animal crossing community and the diverse fanbase that has developed over the years. Not only the community but even the company as soon after, a villager named 'Audie' resembling Audrey's speech patterns was released.
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Animal crossing is a very diverse game and even go so far as to include a gay couple into their game which many other companies wouldn't even think about doing due to possible criticism. These villagers go by Flick and CJ.
Animal Crossing could not have possibly been released at a better time, although it is important to remember it isn't taking advantage of a worldwide pandemic, in fact its release benefited millions of people - it's a real time game and media audiences enjoyed the real time strategy game as it helped them transform their lives back to something close to 'normal'. Generally, the pandemic had a horrific impact on the economy and those who no longer had free time to play their games, became gamers once again - during this time 13% of people returned back to gaming, 37% of people were trying to escape boredom through gaming, 30% used games to cope with stress, 4% of business suggested significant growth linked to gaming in 2020 alone. As these characters are all animalistic, they appeal to more diverse communities. It has implied same sex relationships, 'partners' whom 'live together' allows people to interpret these characters stories and adapt their own experiences to them.
exam tip: giving an obscure game that an exam board hasn't heard of as it appears more comprehensive.
- Pride has been more prevalent in the Animal Crossing community than others (such as Minecraft) as there is an element of wish fulfillment, you can be who you want to be without judgement - this allows expression.
- Videogames are also a good place to share political views and expression as it is fictional - it does not impact their real life relationships or identity - it's almost an ideal, maybe even unreachable persona to some. Geography and regional ideology does not limit your self expression. Even controversial opinions such as the BLM movement were raised awareness in due to in game protests.
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(however it is important to remember, despite customizations and free speech, there are still profanity filters to ensure events don't get out of hand)
Gilette collaboration:
Gilette partnered with a fan to create custom, inclusive designs including disabilities, skin conditions and many more. Many people however debate whether this is a PR stunt or inclusivity. I believe despite the intentions behind this collaboration being consistently about Gilette making a profit, the fans still benefit and therefor it's morally okay. Diverse representation varies from different regions and countries
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