Assassins Creed Liberation

Question 1

what age rating is the game and why?

Answer 1

18
violence that focuses on severe injury
features criminal activity.

Question 2

what is the game about?

Answer 2

centred around female protagonist, Aveline de Grandpre, who is in a historical fight for the freedom of her city from a covert slave trading ring

Question 3

when was the game released and what was significant about its release?

Answer 3

Oct 2012
was originally developed for PlayStation Vita only but was later remastered and re-released with better graphics and gameplay for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in January 2014

Question 4

what did the critics think of the game?

Answer 4

received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its setting and protagonist, but disliked the narrative’s execution and certain aspects of the gameplay, while feeling that the title was limited by its status as a spin-off

Question 5

what award did the game win in 2013?

Answer 5

‘Writers Guild of America Award for Achievement in Videogame Writing’

Question 6

who developed (and currently own) the game?

Answer 6

Ubisoft
(own the whole franchise)

Question 7

who is the target audience?

Answer 7

• assassins creed fans
• female gamers
• adult gamers
• people who like history / the historical plot of the game

Question 8

what were the first video games ever created

Answer 8

Bertie the Brain (1950) - noughts and crosses
Tennis for Two (1958) - electronic tennis game
Pong (1972) - table tennis themed arcade game

Question 9

why do people like video games?

Answer 9

• they are interactive and collaborative - people can feel like they’re part of a community, especially if they don’t have a good social life
• promotes social interaction between people of different ages (can be good or bad) which leads to the sharing of diverse perspectives
• they may like having control of their characters’ lives in the game, especially if their lives are a mess
• they can create a narrative - appeals to creative people
• MMORPG (multi-payer) allows people to play the games with their friends (sharing of hobbies, experiences etc.)
• psychological immersion - means players get a chance to forget about any problems they might be having in their lives and just have fun
• gives players some healthy competition and challenge
• develops skills - technical, social, decision making, empathy
• can learn about events relevant to the context of the game - social, historical, cultural

Question 10

what is meant by ‘serious gaming’? Give examples of a serious game

Answer 10

game that has a ‘serious’ agenda - the goal is education, or providing an opportunity to practice or refine a new skill, not ‘fun’, or ‘entertainment’.
e.g. Microsoft Flight Simulator

Question 11

who regulates video games?

Answer 11

Video Standards Council

Question 12

what is PEGI?

Answer 12

Pan European Gaming Information
A video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps through the use of age recommendations and content descriptors

Question 13

what is meant by ‘open world’ gaming?

Answer 13

A virtual world in which the person playing can choose what they want to do when they want to do it, rather than having to follow a structured game where tasks have to be completed in a certain order and there are often levels that need to be achieved

Question 14

what is meant by ‘persistent world’ gaming?

Answer 14

A virtual world which exists and develops even when there are no people playing

Question 15

what is ‘on the go’ gaming?

Answer 15

someone who needs to take their gaming with them wherever they go

handheld game consoles like the PS vita which was created to compete with Nintendo

Question 16

what is ukie? what are their 4 basic principles? what do they encourage people to do?

Answer 16

A non-profit trade body for the UK games and interactive entertainment industry
Innovation, Cultural, Education, Boundless
Be responsible when gaming

Question 17

what is the ESA?

Answer 17

Entertainment Software Association
American version of Ukie

Question 18

How does Bandura’s social learning theory relate to the game?

Answer 18

video games promote violent behaviour (particularly in players of younger/teen ages) - theory suggests social behaviour is learned through observing and imitating others

Question 19

how does hesmondhalgh’s cultural industries relate to the game?

Answer 19

they minimise risk is through genre-formatting - the marketing of the game uses audience recognition of the franchise,so audiences therefore know what to expect
- gives audiences clues of what to expect, but enough differences through themes and setting to ensure anticipation and buzz around the launch of a new game

Question 20

how much did the game cost to make, and how much profit did ubisoft make?

Answer 20

neither figures were officially disclosed but cost is estimated at $15-20 million, and profit is estimated at $10-20 million

Question 21

how many units did the game sell?

Answer 21

600,000 units

Question 22

name some things fans can get in addition to the game

Answer 22

Art Books, Action Figures and Statues, Posters and Prints, T-Shirts and Hoodies, Cosplay Costumes, Keychains and Pins, Phone Cases, Books, Comics, Soundtrack, DLC -Downloadable Content (Additional in-game content, skins, or expansions), Puzzles and Board Games, Mugs and Drinkware

Question 23

how does regulation theory relate to the game?

Answer 23

New technology opens up new opportunities and arguably new risks that complicate regulation, e.g. Pirated software, asking older sibling/relatives to make the purchase ​

Ubisoft self-certifies its content using the pegi rating system, which seeks to protect vulnerable users and advise parents of problematic content​

Question 24

how does fandom theory relate to the game?

Answer 24

Ubisoft nurtures fan power through the development of an assassin’s creed wiki forum​

Franchise also facilitates fan engagement through fan kit giveaways and exclusive content, as well as the construction of a yearly AC celebration day that invites audiences to share their fan-based activities online ​

Question 25

how does genre theory relate to the game?

Answer 25

Game includes stereotypical elements of action-adventure genre : fighting, missions, graphic violence, non-diegetic music​

But also includes non-stereotypical elements like a female protagonist, and a historical narrative​