Electronic Gaming and the Media Playground

Chapter 10

“…(F)or players around the world, electronic gaming has become a social medium —as compelling and distracting as other social media. The U.S. Supreme Court has even granted electronic gaming First Amendment freedom of speech rights, ensuring its place as a mass medium.”

Early History of Electronic Gaming

 Mechanical Gaming  Penny Arcades offered primitive games, 1880s   Pinball initially considered gambling Popular after World War II with addition of “flipper”  The First Video Games    Cathode-Ray Tube patented , 1948 Odyssey, first home TV game, 1972 Home version of Pong, 1975

Arcades and Classic Games

  Games like Pac Man fill bars and arcades  Signal gaming as a potential social medium  Played with joysticks or buttons The “avatar” is common figure of control   First-person perspective most popular in U.S.

Three-quarters perspective more popular in Asia

Consoles and Advancing Graphics

 Home consoles become more powerful  From 8-bit Atari in 1977 to 256-bit standard today  Older, simpler games still popular  Mario Brothers instantly recognizable  Three major console makers dominate  Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony  Graphics improve for handheld devices  Makes medium more accessible  Angry Birds

Computers and Related Gaming Formats

 Personal computer games popular, 1980 1990s   Versatility of controls Faster processing speeds  Consoles catch up in computing power, late 1990s  Dominate “first-person shooter” market  Personal computer gaming survives  Digitization of card games and board games

Internet and Social Gaming

 Sega Dreamcast, 1999  First console featuring online, multiplayer gaming  Live online play adds new dimension  Shooters, sports and music all use online play  Online fantasy sports  Increases fun of watching spectator sports

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games

 MMORPGs create virtual worlds  Gamers play individually or in “tribes” or “clans”  World of Warcraft most popular   More than 11 million players worldwide Children’s market is substantial  Club Penguin, Webkinz  Online games foster convergence  Comic books, magazines, movies

Communities of Play: Inside the Game

 Gamers play in two types of groups  Pick-Up Groups (PUGs)  Noobs, ninjas and trolls  Guilds or clans  Mostly experienced players  Two types of chat  Voice or text

Communities of Play: Outside the Game

 Websites and face-to-face meetings about games    Collective Intelligence  Tips offered by gamers on user-generated sites Independent Sites  Build community through forums and festivals Industry Sites  Business sponsored sites featuring news, interviews, forums, tips, videos

Immersion

 Deep levels of involvement  Motion-control technology  Wii, Kinect   3D experiences  Nintendo handheld game doesn’t need 3D glasses Used for training as well as entertainment   Military Education   Social causes Journalism

Addiction

  Games are addictive by design  Recognizing high scores   Gradually increasing difficulty levels Achieving rewards like special features, titles Real-life problems   8.5 % of youth are addicts Anecdotal tragedies

The Economics of Electronic Gaming: Money In

 Primary revenue from sale of games, consoles  60 % of U.S. households own console  Gaming inspires media content  TV shows  Movies 

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Resident Evil

 Media inspires games   Movies, comics have game spin-offs Businesses create games for promotion  Product placement generates revenue

The Economics of Electronic Gaming: Money Out

 Production similar to movie business   $100 million for

Grand Theft Auto 4

More than 1,000 people worked for more than three years  Major expenditures  Development  Coding, designing, testing  Royalties  Distribution, licensing  Marketing  Advertising, promotions

Electronic Gaming in a Democratic Society

 Self-regulation   Public, government debate regulation Industry creates Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)  Free Speech and Video Games    U.S. Supreme Court grants First Amendment protection Public still has concerns Industry realizes it must respect public opinion