When video games are regarded as a purposeful consumer product, it is considered that video games are purely a feeling of escapism and a definite form of ‘hyper reality’. Following this idea, the audience needs to understand and respect that video game content is not exact representation of real life events/relationships and that logical legal and ethical values need to be considered at all times. For example, when Rockstar developed and released the game ‘Grand Theft Auto’ in 1997, nothing but controversy and public hatred ensued because of its in-game disregard for all moral and lawful behaviour. The player could pick up a prostitute, take her out into an abandoned area, have sex with her and then brutally murder her to get your money back. And when the idea that you could run over hundreds of civilians with your car and the police wouldn’t care is implimented, anger sparked in parents as they watched their children play.
'Grand Theft Auto' allows you to shoot at civilians and evade the law, as you become part of a notorious crime ring in USAs major cities.
But it is this kind of understanding that gamers need to be aware of before they begin playing a game; what happens in a fiction setting with fiction characters and an imagined plot are only for video games. Especially with games that come with a mature rating, audiences need to take into account what they may be witnessed to over the course of the game, and that when they turn off their consoles, that some of the behaviour you just had the ability to it is not accepted in real life. This in particular is why my video game will be branded an 18. My ‘survival horror’ genre allows audiences to predict its terrifying gameplay nature as well as its strong use of blood and gore, so this means that those who cannot interpret its difference from reality can avoid the title.
The worlds most controversal video game scene; 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' sees the player being forced to become a terrorist in an airport by shooting at innocent civilians. The press links the horror and terrorism in the scene to the terror attacks in Mumbai just a year before.
Interest
I believe that my demographic audience would play my game as the ‘zombie’ genre is increasingly popular recently thanks to the release of ‘Resident Evil 5’ and ‘Dead Rising 2’. As well as this, the ability to play a game in your own pace and get to the end when you’re ready and when you’ve discovered every single thing the game has to offer means that many people will find the game more immersive and emotional than other titles that feel too linear and scripted. As the game will be set in modern times in a relatable environment, the player can involve themselves completely into the situation without having to consider archaic traditions, for example, war games may need a level of understanding of the time period in which they are playing in.
'Left 4 Dead' shows the popularity of zombie-based video games as the original and its sequel have sold up to 6 million copies over the last 3 years.
Environment
Based on knowledge that most of the audience I’m aiming at is now online and deeply immersed into Web 2.0 technology, small viral videos will be widely released, and will be previewing on YouTube, my own personal website as well as on TV after the 9pm water shed. This will then cause mystery and spark excitement from people who are interested in the game and therefore a need for discovery will be around the games release. About 2 weeks before the official world wide release, the full length trailer will be released on the same TV channels as before, and the advertising posters will appear in bus shelters, magazines and radio slots over the main release countries, the UK and the USA. I plan to have advertisements in these specific and varied environments because gamers are a part of everyday life. Some hardcore gaming fans will buy gaming-specific magazines and will see advertisements there, but for others who are not so deep into gaming can see the advertisements elsewhere, and I can attract their attention this way. By having the adverts only premiere on TV after the water shed it will reinforce the idea that the game will be a mature contented one, and that only older viewers will be able to play it.
'Fallout New Vegas' was advertised on the side of buses specifically in Las Vegas.
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