27/2/24-Video Games

 Video Games- Assassins Creed 

How is the video game industry specialised?

Component 1 Section B

What are some issues with studying video games?

• Age ratings
• Video games are violent 
• Industry makes people violent 
• Broad topic- all so different from each other
• Some people don't enjoy them

There is a stereotypical assumption about people who play video games.

YouTube Video brief explanation of video game industry

• Considered one of the first video game: Spacewar! 1962 
• If you wanted to play Spacewar! you would have to be  part of the company/team- have to be an academic to gain access. 
• Drafts(Nimrod computer, 1952) vast amount of technological knowledge needed to make this
• Video Games extend back a lot further than we think.
• Computer space (1971)- seen to be the first game released commercially 
• First home video game- Pong (home version, 1974)
• Huge assumption Japanese video games were more sophisticated than US 
• Started to be regulated in the 1980s 
• Video games quite often sexualise women 
• Video game industry crashed in US in 1980s

Operational definition of a Video Game: an interactive game played on a digital platform.

How is the video game industry specialised?- 

Video games are interactive

Huge expenditure of resources 

Much higher RRP

Significantly longer length 

A dedicated 'core' target audience 

Game developed for specific hardware, or released multiplatform 

In app purchases 

An AAA game- the best game you can have 

Independent game- small game that is made on low costs

4 main competitors  

Nintendo Switch 

Sony PlayStation 5

Microsoft Xbox series 

PCs 

Pre-production

• Concept art
• Design- design document 
• Research- Audience and Other games 
• Budget 
• Storyline

Production

• Coding/Programming 
• Testing
• Alpha and Beta builds
• Designing characters 

 

Post-production 

• Patching and maintenance 
• Promotion and advertising