Assassin's Creed

Question 1

Describe the Video Game industry as a whole.

Answer 1

• Fairly new industry, first began in 1970s.
• Rapid growth in recent years; blockbuster releases exceeding Hollywood films.
• Widely accessible with a range of consoles.
• Multi player interactivity to increase audiences

Question 2

What is the ‘gamer’ stereotype and how is this inaccurate?

Answer 2

• Stereotypically male despite an almost 50/50 split.
• Shooter games which cause aggression despite the mass audience on ‘casual’ games
• Teenagers despite big age range.

Question 3

Why gaming, and not other media forms?

Answer 3

• Interactivity
• Collaborative experience [COOP]
• Online community [MMORPGs]
• Psychological immersion

Question 4

What are some benefits of gaming?

Answer 4

• Competition
• Social interaction
• Skills development
• Enhancing creativity

Question 5

What are ‘serious’ games?

Answer 5

• Focus on social interaction elements and decision making skills
• Designed for military, economists and health care providers to equip employees for real life situations.

Question 6

Discuss Video Game regulation in the UK.

Answer 6

• UK has some of the strictest regulations of the video game industry in the world.
• If a game is banned/censored it can be imported.
• Siblings can share games to bypass age regulation
• Video games can be purchased online
• PEGI system

Question 7

What is the Video Standards Council [VSC]?

Answer 7

• Regulation with the PEGI (Pan-european game information] since 2012.
• Must give an overall rating and additional info.
• Illegal to sell a PEGI rated game to someone below that age
• Focus on Violence, nudity/sex, language, in-game purchases, drugs, discrimination, fear and gambling.

Question 8

What is the Assassin’s creed franchise?

Answer 8

• First game released Nov. 13th, 2007
• Published by Ubisoft
• 22 games, 8 spin offs
• 200 million copies sold
• Live action film in 2016
• Action-adventure, stealth

Question 9

Who is Ubisoft?

Answer 9

• French video game publisher
• Various development studios across the world
• Franchises include AC, Just Dance and Far Cry.
• Founded 28th March 1986
• €2.3 billion in revenue

Question 10

Describe some sales figures of AC.

Answer 10

• AC is Ubisofts best selling franchise
• Best sold is Valhalla, which grossed $1 billion in customer revenue in one year.
• Made 42% of Ubisofts earnings in 13 months
• So successful it has branched into films, merch, etc.

Question 11

Describe AC III: Liberation

Answer 11

• First released on PlayStation Vita in 2012 to widen their market to mobile players.
• Spin off helped give more profit to main game
• First playable female assasin in the franchise: Aveline
• Game takes place in the American Revolution

Question 12

What is unique about Aveline? Why is she risky/not risky?

Answer 12

• Female mixed race character is a risky choice especially when only released on 1 console.
• However it may not be risky if she’s on a spin off not the main game, and the main gameplay is identical.
• Only difference is the physical appearance of the character.