Animal Crossing: Industries, Audiences and Contexts

Question 1

Economic Context: The Video Game Industry

Answer 1

• Video games began to develop in 1962
• Nintendo produced Donkey Kong in 1982
• Japanese companies began to grow more popular specifically ones like Nintendo
• Nintendo was successful with Mario in the 1980s on the NES platform and was the most popular video game for over 30 years
• The most successful hand-held console ever was the GameBoy ( produced by Nintendo )
• Nintendo’s Wii sports outsold Mario to become the most popular game
• Most video games produced at the time Animal Crossing was first person shooters meaning the games success was an anomaly

Question 2

Economic Context: Platforms

Answer 2

• Consoles = dedicated gaming devices used specifically for gaming
• Cloud Gaming = use remote servers to process and stream games to players devices
• The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid between a console and a handheld console ( Was the first of its kind)
• The PS2 was the most popular console ever sold
• Some games can be exclusive to specific platforms
• Consoles are normally released closer to Christmas and Animal Crossing was released before lockdown ( March) which increased sales due to timing

Question 3

Economic Context: Developers

Answer 3

• Video game developers design and create new games
• Quality Assurance= Tests the games and reports bugs or problems

Question 4

Economic Context: Publishers

Answer 4

• A video game publisher is responsible for overseeing the distribution, marketing and overall commercialization of a video game
• Distribution= publishers handle the logistics of getting the game into hands of consumers
• Provide financial support and budgets/ costs for the development
• Manages over copyright rules
• Nintendo are both the developers and publishers of this game ( vertical integration)
• Localization = northern and southern hemispheres so different seasons reflected in gameplay

Question 5

Economic Context: Video Game Genres

Answer 5

• Strategy = Puzzle games e.g. Candy Crush
• Can have combined genres e.g. Role-play + Shooter
• Massively Multiplayer Online ( MMO) = Online with lots of people at the same time
• Animal Crossing comes under the genres of open world, sandbox, online, roleplay and simulation/ adventure

Question 6

Economic Context: Horizontal and Vertical Integration

Answer 6

• Vertical Integration: Can complete more than one area of the PDC chain
• Horizontal Integration: Buying another company in the same field or in another field
• Nintendo is both horizontal (Collaborate with external partners to produce games for Nintendo and have stakes in other companies) and vertically (Focus on hardware and software to develop new games) integration
  -Bought Pokemon and produced new games

Question 7

Economic Context: Timeline of Nintendo

Answer 7

-Nintendo was founded initially in 1889 and produced handmade playing cards
-Distributed its first console, the Colour-TV, in 1977
-Gained international recognition in 1981 with the release of Donkey Kong
-Released Super Mario Bros and the Nintendo Entertainment system in 1985
-Released the Game Boy in 1989 and by the middle of 1992 they had sold over 46 million copies of the NES console
-81.5 million Game Boy advanced consoles released by 2010
-Released the Nintendo DS in 2004 and became the most successful handheld console in the world
-Released the first hybrid console in 2017

Question 8

Economic Context: Animal Crossing Unique Context

Answer 8

• It is an open-ended game meaning it cannot be completed and there is no final thing to complete
  -No linear narrative meaning no specific objective or storylines
• Operates in real time and seasons in gameplay
  -Personalisation and Customisation with no stressful challenges and lots of updates and events
  -Did so well in Lockdown because of escape and no stressful challenges

Question 9

Economic Context: Marketing

Answer 9

• Trailers and gameplay videos released by Nintendo itself
  -Below the line marketing- Social media accounts dedicated to the release of the game
  -Nintendo directs on consoles and promotions and collaborations
  -Has special content and limited content
• Has a strong and dedicated fanbase from people talking about it and past games
  -Reviewed by content creators and press attention

Question 10

Economic Context: User Interaction Maintain

Answer 10

-A game which can be continually played and can keep coming back to
-Can be played frequently with friends and can meet different people and explore islands
Interaction Maintained through:
-Regular updates and events with new content (feels refreshed)
-Can customise the whole world and allows for endless possibilities
- Real world mechanics and can experience seasons and holidays in the event
-Self expression

Question 11

Economic Context: