1) What is the VSC and how does it link to UK law?
It controls the contents of certain medias within the UK to make sure they're able to be sold to the appropriate ages.
2) Note down the key statistics on the homepage.
3) What is the purpose of PEGI?
It provides information about the contents of a game.
4) Click on the PEGI Rating tab in the top menu. What are the age ratings and what do they include?
5) Scroll down to look at the ‘How games are examined’ infographic. What is the PEGI process for rating a game?
Initially a game producer rates the game themselves. Anything from violence to strong language to sexual content must be monitored before applying the PEGI rating. The game developer then sends this application with proof of all this content + a copy of the game so that all these things can be checked and so that anything that could have been missed or misinterpreted can be found and added to the list. The game is then marked again and put out for sale.
1) How does the freemium model work?
2) Why do some gamers believe freemium is ruining games?
It does not allow access to the whole game and therefore you cannot experience it fully.
3) What are the positives of the freemium model for gaming?
it allows people to play the game for free. This is a huge benefit for the gamer's as if they are really intrigued to play the game, they are willing to pay money to experience the game fully.
Now read this Business Insider feature on freemium gaming and multiplayer games. Answer the following questions:
1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.
Freemium model games and their in-app purchases account for about 70-80% of the $10 billion or more in iOS revenue each year
2) Why does the freemium model incentivise game developers to create better and longer games?
This is because gamers are consistently spending money on the game, it is not just a one and done payment. This motivates the developers to keep improving their game if they want the revenue to keep coming in.
3) What does the article suggest regarding the possibilities and risks to the freemium model in future?
It a risky business because it is uncertain who and how many poeple are willing to spend money on a free game.
Read this New York Times feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:
1) Why did Temple Run use the freemium model?
Because they realised that once the game was free, there was a spike in downloads.
2) The bigger gaming studios like Electronic Arts used to avoid the freemium model. Why are they now embracing it?
Game developers may make people confused on how clear the premise of their games are - younger gamers may accidentally purchase apps without knowing. Also developers may disregard the quality of the free/standard level content which would lead to boring games.
3) Why does Peter Farago suggest independent game makers benefit more from the freemium model than the major publishers like EA?
It will be easier for independent game makers to start from scratch and then produce freemium games at a high standard and then maintain this standard. Large media publishers like EA would have to completely change their approach in order to make the freemium model work.
Electronic Arts
Read this Pocket Gamer interview with EA’s Amanda Schofield, Senior Producer on The Sims FreePlay at EA's Melbourne-based Firemonkeys studio. Answer the following questions:
1) How has The Sims FreePlay evolved since launch?
The detail has improved a lot as you can now have a variety of pets ranging from dogs to dragons
2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?
because they are now built and based around a partnership between the gamers and the game developers.
3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?
The gaming community provide feedback and keep up to date with the developers which suggests that they are part of the development process.
4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?
The game constantly reinvents and designs itself around the changing desires pf the players and the targeted audiences. The audiences feel a sense of personal identification with the idealism surrounding the world that they have created; therefore are unlikely to leave this behind.
5) How many times has the game been installed and how much game time in years have players spent playing the game? These could be great introductory statistics in an exam essay on this topic.
- Over 200m installs of the Sims Freeplay
- 78,000 game time (in years)
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