Assassin's Creed Flashcards
How does Assassin’s Creed educate its audience?
through its commitment to historical accuracy
How does AC appeal to explorer psychographic?
- release in 2020 provided escapism for gamers during lockdown period
- open world for gamers to explore - 94km2 of England territory alone
How does the game target a ABC1 audience?
game released for 60 dollars
financial success of valhalla
- made an estimated £1bn
- sold 1.7 million copies at its launch
financial cost of valhalla (AAA game, high production value)
took 3 years to develop, cost around $500m
How did valhalla appeal to pre-sold fans of the franchise?
- canon with the storyline, fits in the narrative after AC Origins, and before the original AC game
- repetition of characters, narratives, themes to guarantee success (Neale’s genre theory)
Synergetic merchandise released
- Reebok x Valhalla
- T-Shirts, stickers, soundtrack EP available on website
Assassin’s creed website fan features
- AC wiki on the lore of the franchise
- articles on cosplays done by the fans, recognising importance of producer-consumer relationship
- Ubisoft forum where the audience can ask the producer and have a voice in the development of the franchise
How did valhalla appeal to casual gamers?
- HPV, evident in cinematic trailer released on youtube (20m views) and in cinemas
Viral marketing strategies to promote the game to presold audience
BossLogic 8 hour art stream
Marketing campaign targeting a regional audience
‘Greetings from England campaign’ - screenshots from valhalla taken at key locations and landmarks, e.g Lincoln, Stonehenge, Eivor’s settlement
How are global audience targeted by valhalla (translations) ect
- Valhalla available in 6 different languages (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese)
- posters translated
- interview with Eurogamer Portugal regarding graphics of the game (30fps)
valhalla generating revenue
- microtransactions available, e.g Valkyrie set including weapons and skins, bought through helix credits
USP of valhalla, development of digital technologies
DLC available, games can be updated with new content
industry context: how does ubisoft access different markets?
- partnered with Tencent to access their Chinese market
- partnered with Sony to access their Asian market
- has global subsidiaries -Ubisoft HQ in Paris, Ubisoft Montreal (produced valhalla)
Ubisoft available on different consoles, maximising audience
- available on Windows, Xbox One, Xbox X Series, PS4 and PS5, as well as Stadia
- coincided with release of Xbox One and Ps5, leaving game title
apply Livingstone and Lunt’s theory to AC
- rated PEGI 18 due to violence
- however may still be accessed by younger audience
- cause of concern, may influence passive audiences
Ubsioft gaming conglomerate
- Also produce Just Dance, Wheel of Fortune, Watch Dogs
AC reflecting change in video game market
- 60% of market dominated by mobile gaming
- AS Liberation available on PS Vita
Ubisoft appealing to female audience
- female Eivor Valhalla
-female protagonist Aveline AS Liberation
Preferred reading of AC valhalla
- pre sold fans of genre/franchise
- female audience appreciating increased representation, not sexualised
oppositional response to Valhalla
- parents/guardians
- females feel that female Eivor only added for profit ( Ubisoft previously criticised for lack of inclusivity), storyline not developed fully for females
- male opposition to female involvement in the franchise
