Sims audience and industry

Question 1

What reduces the risk of Sims as would be argued by Hesmondhalgh?

Answer 1

-It’s one game of an entire franchise of games. The game is a successful off-shoot of SimCity and it has generated four further versions plus other spin-offs such as The Sims Carnival and The Sims Social
-It’s also available across a wide range of platforms as it has undergone commodification and diversification as they look to make as much profit as possible
- Thirdly because it doesn’t alienate sexual orientation or nationality creating a wider audience

Question 2

When was Sims Freeplay released on mobile?

Answer 2

Made available on IOS in 2011, and all other operating systems (Windows, Blackberry and Android) by 2013

Question 3

When was the initial ‘The Sims’ released?

Answer 3

2000

Question 4

Which platforms is The Sims on and how has this developed overtime?

Answer 4

Sims was originally a PC game, but titles have been developed across a range of platforms like Xbox and PlayStation. The Sims Freeplay has positioned the franchise within mobile gaming

Question 5

Who developed the Sims Freeplay?

Answer 5

EA mobile and Firemonkeys Studios

Question 6

Who is EA mobile?

Answer 6

A subsidiary of the US company Electronic Arts

Question 7

Who is Firemonkey Studios?

Answer 7

An Australian games developer that are also a subsidiary of Electronic Arts

Question 8

What’s the strategic positioning of Electronic Arts within the gaming industry?

Answer 8

They are both horizontally integrated: shown by the fact that they own both EA Mobile and Firemonkey Studios (as well as BlueTongue and Maxis) and vertically integrated: their subsidiaries developed the game and they published the game. This means they have large control over the industry

Question 9

Who published the game?

Answer 9

Electronic Arts

Question 10

Who are Electronic Arts?

Answer 10

The second largest gaming company/global conglomerate in Europe/US. They develop (fund and organise production) and publish (distribute and circulate) games

Question 11

What is the funding structure of The Sims?

Answer 11

Freemium game, meaning it’s free to download, but includes the possibility of in-app purchases

Question 12

What helps to ensure the interactivity of The Sims Freeplay?

Answer 12

It’s regularly updated offering players new content and the opportunity to interact with events and competitions

Question 13

How can the Sims get extra money aside from the Freemium model?

Answer 13

The suburban real world environment provides opportunities for the game to generate an income by using product placement. Items and tasks can be sponsored by companies, e.g. adidas sponsor some of the Sims clothing
The game runs adverts and players gain free in-game currency by watching them

Question 14

Who regulates games in Europe?

Answer 14

PEGI (Pan European Game Information)

Question 15

What does PEGI do?

Answer 15

PEGI offer ratings for games to help the audience make informed decisions. They do not regulate the industry by enforcing age limits or access, they simply offer information to help consumers make an informed choice

Question 16

What have PEGI recently started regulating on?

Answer 16

A games use of microtransactions (in app purchases). This is aimed at parents who wish to know what content games offer their children.

Question 17

What is the age rating of Sims?

Answer 17

12

Question 18

Which gender and age are stereotypically aimed at in video game advertising? What is marketing towards the other gender like?

Answer 18

Early games focused their advertising at young boys, despite 50% of the gaming market being made up by girls and older audiences do play games as they have grown up with them.
Some games are often specifically targeted at girls although they are based off stereotypical ideas about gender roles.

Question 19

Which gender may Sims be thought to appeal to?

Answer 19

Its often thought to have a feminine appeal as it’s focused on domestic settings, home, family and relationships. The domestic sphere is typically perceived as feminine.
It does also offer some content related to social and professional settings too

Question 20

Why does Sims appeal to an audience of all ages?

Answer 20

Available on mobile devices makes it accessible to everyone

Question 21

How many times have the app been downloaded since release and how can this be explained?

Answer 21

Over 200 million (overall players have engaged with the game for 78,000 years of gameplay) - it has a broad appeal

Question 22

Who is the primary target audience for the game and why?

Answer 22

Much of the game reflects an aspirational lifestyle based on home and family, so the primary target audience can be identified as young females (however it carries relatively broad appeal)

Question 23

What type of narrative is used in the Sims?

Answer 23

-It’s an indefinite sandbox environment with no definite ending or goal. It’s largely situated in the mundanity of day to day life
-The experience is limited only by the player’s commitment to spending time on the game.
-Events happen slowly, encouraging players to come back time and time again to see how Sims are developing

Question 24

Which of Blumler & Katz’s gratifications apply to the game and why?

Answer 24

• Escapism - offers players the ability to create the perfect life, far away from reality. In this sense, it creates a hyperreality
• Personal identity - players can create Sims to look like them and have similar personalities, yet live in a perfect world
• Social interaction - Social elements offered such as having friends, sending gifts and interacting with your own Sim as if they’re your friend
• Entertainment

Question 25

What gratification aside from that of Blumer and Katz can be offered through the game?

Answer 25

An expression of social status - players can generate simoleons (in-game currency), earn Lifestyle points (LPs) and Social points (SPs). These can then be used to buy items within the game. Players can then achieve VIP status by spending money within the game, which gives them access to exclusive content
These points can also be purchased using real money

Question 26

What are the benefits of a freemium for the audience?

Answer 26

anyone can access the game and enjoy some of the features offered
If you want to speed up progress, you have the opportunity to do so

Question 26

What are the benefits of a freemium model for the industry?

Answer 26

• More people are likely to download the product acting as advertisement in itself for the in-app purchases
• wider audience as many people wouldn’t otherwise play if there was a paywall
• opportunity to still generate revenue

Question 27

How are the dominant ideologies of society conveyed throughout the game?

Answer 27

Status is created by constructing a domestic consumerist paradise

Question 28

How can Jenkins be applied to The Sims?

Answer 28

-Sims audiences communicate with one another via social media, creating online fan communities. This is seen on their Facebook page with many players sharing their details in the comments to add neighbours.
- Audiences share experiences and tips.
-YouTube is used by experienced gamers, training novices but also acting as advertisement for the game
-Player communities can also offer tips for modding (modifying) to personalise and custom the game - similar to textual poaching

Question 29

What aspect of the game is of particular concern to some parents and regulators?

Answer 29

The ‘flower wheel’ is a virtual fixed odds gambling machine. There are concerns about children developing addiction, especially given its unregulated. This shows how regulation has moved towards consumer based regulation rather than citizen based (Livingstone and Lunt)

Question 30

Why do EA defend the gambling element of the game?

Answer 30

The cost and winnings are all using the in-game currency. No real money is used (although real money can be used to buy the currency to play)

Question 31

Why have EA been criticised for their strategic positioning?

Answer 31

They buy out independent companies and then change their business to be more profit driven, often resulting in a drop of quality

Question 32

Which social media accounts do The Sims Freeplay use and how much of a following do they have?

Answer 32

Facebook and Instagram in order to directly interact with fans.
Twitter: 78.2k
Facebook:2.5m

Question 33

Why are audiences less likely to be affected by the Sims in terms of cultivation theory?

Answer 33

Because of the short duration of playtime mobile games tend to have. Long term exposure is less prevalent these days because of such a large range of media products available. However, as audiences continue to come back to the game time and time again, they may adopt consumerist ideologies

Question 34

Which theorist’s argument definitely does not apply to the Sims?

Answer 34

Bandaura’s theory because there is very little in the game in terms of violence - any that there is, is because of audience’s own actions and influences rather than that coming from the game

Question 35

How can Stuart Hall’s reception theory be applied?

Answer 35

The non-specific subject matter and the ability to determine your own outcome means that the dominant reading can be decoded by a much larger audience and cuts down on those with an oppositional reading

Question 36

How does the Sims appeal to a younger audience?

Answer 36

-Bright colours
-Cartoonish animations
-Allows them to live an adult life vicariously e.g. have a child or a job, whereas an adult audience may see this as boring
-Use of social media
-ignoring of difficult topics
-light hearted, upbeat atmosphere

Question 37

What are the five aspects to Jenkin’s participatory culture?

Answer 37

1. low barriers to artistic expression and engagement
2. strong support for creating and sharing creations with others
3. Informal mentorship where experienced players pass advice to novices
4. members who believe their contributions matter
5. members who feel a degree of social connection and care about other member’s opinions towards their contribution

Question 38

What is modding?

Answer 38

Short for modifications. This is where gamers change aspects of the gameplay by manipulating the game code - anything from coffee strength to incorporating ghosts to sexual content. These can then be shared online or even on the official Sims page where an exchange site was set up.

Question 39

How can mass ameuteurisation be applied?

Answer 39

Now consumers are making modifications, the players themselves are turning into producers

Question 40

What’s an example of modding in the game?

Answer 40

Trans-media storytelling
It could be used for popular franchises such as The Matrix or Lord of the Rings to replicate and rearrange characters and scenes to see a desired or alternative narrative. It could even allow for the cross over of franchises

Question 41

Why can modding be a negative thing?

Answer 41

It causes internal dispute between players because everyone has individual practices of play
Some wish to charge for their mods and some wish to keep them free creating further conflict

Question 42

Which psychographic is the game likely to target?

Answer 42

Mainstreamers, aspirers, strugglers, reformers and more - essentially any because they can all reflect their own life in the game and will all receive varying gratifications according to their storyline e.g. escapism v creating a desired multicultural reality

Question 43

How much is the Sims turnover per year?

Answer 43

$12.3m

Question 44

Why is a mobile device ideal for the game?

Answer 44

The style of game would not be possible without constant access to the game; the constant need to set up new actions for the Sims means the game has to be portable and quickly accessible. This also allows the version to be updated whereas previous sims games have been ‘finished’ upon release