Video Games Component 1 Section B: Theorists

Question 1

Media Industries: Livingstone and Lunt

Answer 1

There is a struggle between trying to appeal to the interests of citizens (protection from harmful content) and trying to further the interests of consumers (ensuring choice and market competition).

Question 2

What two things place traditional regulation at risk? (Livingstone and Lunt).

Answer 2

Increasing power of global media corporations and the rise of convergent media technologies / transformations in the production, distribution and marketing of media.

Question 3

Livingstone and Lunt relevance to AC Valhalla:

Answer 3

AC needs to make money, lots of 18+ elements appeal to a younger audience. However, regulation policies need to be followed to protect under 18s from content that could potentially be harmful.

Question 4

Media Industries: Curran and Seaton

Answer 4

The idea that media is controlled by a small number of companies, driven by the logic of profit and power. Media concentration generally limits variety and creativity.

Question 5

Curran and Seaton relevance to AC Valhalla: driven by logic of profit and power.

Answer 5

UbiSoft uses XBox and Playstation to produce the game. E.g: advertisements on Playstation shop homepage. All these companies work together to maximise profits. / Become horizontally integrated.

Question 6

Curran and Seaton relevance to AC Valhalla: media concentration limits creativity.

Answer 6

Prevalent theme of violence to minimise the risk/focusing on one main theme of building a settlement. However, the security of the franchise was used to take risks. E.g: Implementing a female Eivor.

Question 7

Albert Bandura - Media Effects Theory

Answer 7

The idea that media can implant ideas in the mind of the audience directly, the idea that audiences acquire attitudes. The idea that media representations of transgressive behaviour such as violence can lead to audiences imitating these forms of behaviour.

Question 8

Albert Bandura relevance to AC Valhalla:

Answer 8

Graphic violence is glamorised and promotes stealing. However, not all aspects are negative: promotes strategic thinking, etc. Also, audiences aren’t entirely passive (more media literacy). Length of time gameplay last affects influence it has/exposure. More immersive view as they control the character.

Question 9

Jenkins - Fandom Theory

Answer 9

The idea that fans are active participants in the circulation of textual meanings: questions the ability of producers to constrain the meaning of texts. Audiences interpret texts in ways not authorised by producers. Fans also construct their identities through borrowing mass culture images.

Question 10

Jenkins relevance to AC Valhalla:

Answer 10

Forums, tiktok edits, theories around aspects of the game, reddit, stantwitter/sub-twitters. Social experiences such as cosplays and expos, fanart. Many fans mischaracterise characters. E.g: fanfiction, shipping characters together, etc. Incorporating viking culture into identity/generalising the culture. However, producers only take feedback into account when the game has a bug yet producers do have to appeal to fans as they are the reason a game is successful. Many fans just play the game because they like it, not for the fanbase.

Question 11

‘End of Audiences’ Theory - Clay Shirky

Answer 11

The idea that the internet/technology has a profound effect on relations between media and individuals. Also, the idea that audiences are no longer passive consumers, but instead producers as they ‘speak back’ to the media in various ways.

Question 12

Clay Shirky relevance to AC Valhalla:

Answer 12

AC fans can comment on trailers, twitter announcements, etc. Replies and tagging the UbiSoft development team which allows them to take in feedback, altering the game. Becoming ‘prosumers’ as games develop due to audience feedback. E.g: wanted a female character so a female Eivor was implemented as a reponse, shapes a media product.

Question 13

Cultural Industries: Hesmondhalgh

Answer 13

Minimise risk and maximise audiences through vertical and horizontal integration + formatting their texts : using genre, star appeal, serials, etc. Additionally, the idea that large companies operate across different cultural industries.

Question 13

How do industries minimise their risk/maximise their audience: Hesmondhalgh? And how do large companies negotiate the risk?

Answer 13

Horizontal Integration, Vertical Integration, ‘co-opting’ critics by sending gifts, socialising, etc.

Off-set risks through building a large catalogue of texts/’cultural repertoire’. Co-opting publicity.

Question 14

Hesmondhalgh relevance to AC Valhalla:

Answer 14

Use ‘cultural repertoire’ of viking culture/specific genre, lots of catalogues. Used key composers and built off the franchise to format the text. Horizontally and Vertically integrated. Co-opt critics: sent youtubers the beta of the game to promote (ReeBok, Zavvi Trainers, etc).

Question 15

Reception Theory -Stuart Hall

Answer 15

The idea that communication is a process which involves encoding by producers and decoding by the audiences.

Question 16

Stuart Hall: What are the three hypothetical positions from which meanings can be decoded?

Answer 16

The dominant position = intended / preferred reading is understood and acceptable wholly.

The negotiated position = preferred reading is acknowledged but the message is adapted to fit the decoder’s own experiences or ideas.

The oppositional position = The encoder’s message is understood, but the decoder wholly disagrees, reading the text in a contrary way.