Assassins Creed III

Question 1

Product Context

Answer 1

• Published by Ubisoft and encompasses 12 incarnations of the game, plus spin-offs
• Action-adventure, open world game
• Played from third person perspective, historical setting

Question 2

Success

Answer 2

-In 2021 the franchise sold recorded sales of 155 million units since its introduction in 2007
-Helped by the launch of ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’ in 2020 which sold more units in its first week than any other game series

Question 3

Historical Contexts

Answer 3

-New media form
-Growth of this form since the 1970s
-Rapid development of ‘the gamer’ and difficulty of regulating and monitoring the impact of a fast paced industry

Question 4

Economic Contexts

Answer 4

• The release of new gaming technology or games from popular franchises can be major economic events
• In 2021 the value of the global video games market was estimated to be $138.4 billion increasing from $52.8 billion in 2012. Mobile gaming is the fastest growing area

Question 5

Process of production, distribution and circulation

Answer 5

• Video games’ production techniques have evolved and become increasingly innovative as the industry has become more competitive and the demand for games has increased
• Being part of a franchise is a production model that both increases economic viability and establishes a brand identity
• Advances in technology have shaped video games by the inclusion of more complex gameplay, highly developed graphics and advanced CGI
• In terms of production the games in the franchise are part of a multinational development which is typical of game production in larger studios such as Ubisoft

Question 6

Decision to release Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation

Answer 6

• To tap into the increasing popularity of mobile gaming
• The PS Vita was designed with many features usually associated with smartphones

Question 7

Why the game was released

Answer 7

• An attempt to bring high game production values to the burgeoning new mobile gaming arena

Question 8

Newer games in the franchise

Answer 8

Have introduced cross-generational gaming enabling data to be transferred from earlier generation consoles and cross-play between different platforms

Question 9

Announced in 2021

Answer 9

• The new game to be released in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed Infinity, inspired by the success of games like Fortnite, would be a fully live service game
  -This would expand the franchise and enable the games to time jump and include multiple historical settings rather than the single setting of the existing games
• This would also ensure the longevity of the franchise and the ability to add new content rather than launching a completely new game.

Question 10

Video game regulation in the UK

Answer 10

• Have been regulated by the BBFC
• Now largely regulated by the Video Standards Council (VSC) who applies the PEGI system (Pan European Game Information)

Question 11

Convergence

Answer 11

• A handheld game which could be linked to the full PS3 console version of the game
• The convergence between social media platforms promotes gamer engagement and identification with the game across the fan community
  -Important to Ubisoft as an individual producers of game content
• Risks of piracy and leaked content

Question 12

Cultural industries theory (Hesmondhalgh)

Answer 12

• The video games industry is designed to make a profit, they operate in a competitive market
• They minimise risk though genre-formatting
• The marketing of Assassins Creed’s new game uses audience recognition of the game and brand so audiences know what to expect
• The sequel formula of the franchise model gives audiences clues of what to expect, but enough differences through themes to ensure anticipation

Question 13

Social and Cultural contexts

Answer 13

• The Assassin’s Creed franchise has made adaptations over the different versions of the game to address changes in society and culture and audience expectations
• There are examples of female protagonists in the later games

Question 14

Large companies operate across a number of different cultural industries (Hesmondhalgh)

Answer 14

• The video games industry is dominated by large multi-national conglomerates
• Ubisoft is the fifth largest video game company but is now in competition with tech companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon

Question 15

Brand identity of Assassin’s Creed

Answer 15

A fan community already exists and gaming audiences have preconceived ideas of what to expect and used in the marketing

Question 16

Developments in technology

Answer 16

The games are distributed across a range of different media platforms which facilitate the targeting of diverse audiences

Question 17

Games in the franchise

Answer 17

• Attract audiences through creating a sense of identity
• Game producers construct audiences through the decisions they make about characters, narratives and gameplay
• Games in this franchise have broadened their appeal

Question 18

Distribution of games

Answer 18

• Strategy to increase audience consumption
  -An attempt to draw gamers from different platforms to purchase additional hardware and adopt new gaming habits

Question 19

Impact on gamers

Answer 19

Gamers might be encouraged to have a more complete or satisfying experience by using a range of interlinked products that offer exclusive, downloadable content

Question 20

Enhanced fan community

Answer 20

The franchise has a well-established fan community enhanced by digital convergent platforms facilitating interaction and responses to the game to be shared

Question 21

Social and cultural circumstances

Answer 21

• The unique interactive and escapist experience provided by video games influences interpretations as gamers are part of a fan community made up of participants from diverse social and cultural backgrounds
• Players also make choices about video games selecting those that reflect aspects of their identity

Question 22

Media effects theory (Albert Bandura)

Answer 22

• Several games in the franchise have received an 18 rating from PEGI due largely to violent content
  -Audience responses to violent content

Question 23

Fandom theory (Henry Jenkins)

Answer 23

• The way video games have evolved closely alongside the internet
• Offer social experiences as well as communities outside the core game experience
• The developments in video games technology have expanded the ways in which fans can interact with games producers and the fan community, creating participatory culture
• Video games are interactive, enabling fans to construct their identities through the participatory online experience and the role-playing environment