Video Games: Call of Duty

Aim: To apply knowledge of media products and audiences to gaming

Ownership

Publish and owned by Activision. 

Developer → Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games 

Developer - Develop games on a rotational basis e.g. through Treyarch generally develops the Black Ops series. 

Franchising

Activision also franchises the Call of Duty brand to a number of different companies. 

Merchandise includes action figures, comic books and card games.

e.g. Plan B Toys, WildStorm Publications, Upper Deck, Mega Bloks.

Marketing and Distribution

Clear marketing strategy - above the line 

Activision placing more of a focus on billboards (traditional advertising) than popular digital platforms (digital advertising). Billboards to make fans feel more physically connected and involved on the ground with the CoD community. The plan to set it in WWII was already leaked. 

There were unique codes hidden on the billboards for fans to find. When the codes are cracked, gamers can unlock exclusive content related to 'WWII' that cannot be obtained anyone else. They also revealed the new game and trailer in a live stream on CallofDuty.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram,. 

Above-the-line, traditional advertising: BFI Imax, London. - To appeal to those audiences that are culturally interested in a wide range of media products. 

Combination of traditional and digital advertising - poster with QR code takes user to website. 

Website that would change appropriately for the game that is being released. Drop down menu for different incarnations of the game. Option to buy new Black Ops game, with trailer embedded. Cross platform, different editions, different prices for extra content. Community section on the site, enabling users to discuss the games on forums. 

Audience and Regulation

Computer Games and Violence.

• What does 'PEGI' stand for?
• What does PEGI do?
• What are the different PEGI ratings?
• Name a problem with the current PEGI ratings relating to violence. 
• Which of the theories we've studied could you apply to this article?

BBC Article: Do video games make people violent?

• Over 200 academics have signed an open letter criticising controversial new research suggesting a link between violent video games and aggression - findings released by the American Psychological Association 
• The studies were reviewed between 2005-2013 and they concluded while there was no single risk factor to blame for aggression, violent video games did contribute.
• The report said "a relation between violent game use and increases in aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognitions and aggressive affect, and decreases in pro-social behaviour"
• However a large group of academics said the methodology is deeply flawed as a significant part of the material included in the study has not been reviewed - "exposure to repeated violence may have short-term effects, but the long-term consequences of crime and actual violence behaviour there is no evidence linking that."

Why is it so controversial? 

• Video game playing often cited as a factor in motivating violent youth crimes such as US high school shootings e.g. one of the Columbine massacre shooters used a gun called 'Arlene' - a character in a novel inspired by 'Doom' computer game.
• "most people who played graphically violent games did not resort to violence, and most video games were not violent. Although there are adult games, there are adult books, films, TV shows. The content is regulated to ensure children and minors do not play inappropriate material." Says Dr Richard Wilson of trade body Tiga.

Does this new work prove playing violent games can result in violent crime?

• The task force said more research was now needed to establish whether violent games did lead to violent criminal behaviour - the group of 230 academies from universities around the world and youth violence in the US was currently at a 40 year low. 
• "The decline in societal violence is in conflict with claims that violent video games and interactive media are important public health concerns. The statistical data are simply not bearing out this concern and should not be ignored" A study at Oxford suggested frustrating at being unable to play a game was more likely to bring out aggressive behaviour than the content of the game itself.
• "We found out players have a psychological need to come out on top when playing. If players feel thwarted by the controls or the design of the game, they can wind up feeling aggressive. This need to master the game was far more significant than whether the game contained violent material."

Aren't the ratings designed to protect young people?

• Games are given age-related ratings with the PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) system. The five age ratings are 3,7,12,16,18
• The problem is that violence is hard to classify. e.g. PEGI 18 certificate may contain scenes of "gross violence" "Gross violence is the most difficult to define as it can be veery subjective in many cases, but in general it can be classed as the depictions of violence that would make the viewer feel a sense of revulsion."
• APA are calling for extra in game controls in addition to the current ratings. Dr Coulson says "this is censorship by another route. The worry is that any soft-coded censorship will be immediately subverted." "Its kind of putting forward a solution to a problem I don't think exists."

How was the APA research conducted?

• The APA task force used meta-analysis which combines the results of lots of studies in order to look for patterns/correlations, rather than carrying out any new research itself. It conducts a comprehensive review of academic work around the subject, dating back to 2005.
• Mark Appelbaum says "A strong consistent general pattern has emerged from many years of research that provides confidence in our general conclusions" 
• This approach was criticised by the group of experts, which said such correlation sometimes had other explanations. E.g. boys were more likely to play video games than girls, and they are also more likely to be aggressive in general.
• Dr Coulson also cautioned about work included in the study that may not have been subjected to peer review, where it is critiqued by the wider academic community. 

Theories

1. Active/passive audiences
2. Hypodermic needle
3. Desensitisation 
4. Moral panic

You must refer to the regulator as VSC (Video Standards Council) not PEGI

PEGI Ratings 

'What do the labels mean'

3 , 7 , 12 , 16, 18

Considered suitable for all age groups. Won't contain any sounds or pictures that would frighten young children. A very mild form of violence, no bad language.

Scenes or sounds that can possibly frighten younger children. Very mild forms of violence.

Slightly more graphic form of violence, towards fantasy characters or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters. Sexual innuendos/posturing can be present, bad language must be mild. Gambling can also be present. 

Depiction of violence the same as it would be expected to look like in real life. The use of bad language can be more extreme. Games of chance, use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs can also be present.

When the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes a depiction of gross killing, motiveless killing, violence towards defenceless characters. Glamorisation of the use of illegal drugs and explicit sexual activity.

Discuss the possible positive and negative media effects a product you have studied might have on its audience [20]

Describe four ways that a media product you have studied targets a specific demographic group [8]

Analyse how production techniques have been used to create meaning in a media product you have studied [12]

Media theorists:

MULVEY 
GAUNTLETT