Industries The Sims

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The Sims FreePlay - Industries blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called 'The Sims FreePlay case study part 2 - Industries' and complete the following tasks.
Regulation – PEGI

Research the following using the PEGI website.

1) What is the VSC and how does it link to UK law?
  • The VSC Rating Board is an Administrator of the PEGI age rating system and is  used in over 30 countries throughout Europe. 
  • The VSC links to UK law through how '16 and 18 rated games are legally enforceable and cannot be sold to anyone under those respective ages.' 
2) Note down the key statistics on the homepage.
  • 13938+ Games Rated
  • 15141+ Apps Rated 
  • 1702 Number of Member Oultets
  • 30 years in operation
3) What is the purpose of PEGI?
  • The website offers a statement by PEGI stating "We are committed to providing as much helpful information we can about video game ratings. We can’t tell you how good, bad or indifferent a video game might be, but we will supply detailed consumer information about the content of the games with PEGI ratings."
4) Click on the PEGI Rating tab in the top menu. What are the age ratings and what do they include?
  • PEGI 3 - The majority of games in this category do not contain anything that requires rating or warrants a content warning.
  • PEGI 7 - The majority of games in this category do not contain anything that requires rating or warrants a content warning.
  • PEGI 12 -  more detailed and realistic looking violence towards fantasy characters is allowed. Any violence towards human characters must look unrealistic unless it consists of only minor or trivial injury such as a slap.
  • Parental Guidance -  Typical content needing a parent or guardian to overlook the content that could be frightening 
  • PEGI 16 - At the 16 level you can expect to see more mature and realistic violence against human characters. The game may deal heavily with death and injury to humans. 
  • PEGI 18 - The adult classification is applied when the level of violence is both realistic or severe in nature, often being graphic with blood and gore.
5) Scroll down to look at the ‘How games are examined’ infographic. What is the PEGI process for rating a game?
  • To first assess the contents of the game.
  • The assessor will receive video footage of the game swell as a copy of it.
  •  Another assessment to ensure nothing has been misinterpreted from a questionnaire. Video game footage
  • An actual play of the game to asses gameplay etc..
  • The game receives a PEGI rating.
The ‘Freemium’ gaming model

Read this Lifewire feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:

1) How does the freemium model work?
  • The freemium model consists of a free game that has limited features, and if you want to expand the controls on the game it will require 'in-app-purchases'
2) Why do some gamers believe freemium is ruining games?
  • They just force money to be added to the game instead of actually enjoying it.
3) What are the positives of the freemium model for gaming?
  • An expansion to the already limited game 
  • "the ability to download and try a game for free is great"
  • players can earn the premium content through the in game currency.

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 games account for about 70-80% of the $10 billion or more in iOS revenue."
2) Why does the freemium model incentivise game developers to create better and longer games?
  • to increase the amount of time and 'money' spent on the game.
3) What does the article suggest regarding the possibilities and risks to the freemium model in future?
  • The possibility of addiction by some players can occur, usually without the players knowing of it.
  • The possibility of children accidentally purchasing games.

Read this New York Times feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:

1) Why did Temple Run use the freemium model?
  • The freemium model helped players enjoy the game whilst adding to the experience with extra tools.
2) The bigger gaming studios like Electronic Arts used to avoid the freemium model. Why are they now embracing it?
  • EA are embracing the freemium model as its able to reach a wider audience and its more profitable.
3) Why does Peter Farago suggest independent game makers benefit more from the freemium model than the major publishers like EA?
  • “Freemium is a weapon against the establishment,and the establishment has a hard time even wanting to pick up that weapon.”
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 players were first only able to control 16 players and a few pets but now, players can have pets ranging from kittens to dragons.
2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?
  • The fact that producers/creators and players can communicate with each other about possible game improvements,means that the game can no longer be considered a product.
3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?
  • They are involved in the development of the game.
4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?
  • EA looks out for people who are excited about the game and use the excitement to develop the game
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.
  • The game has been installed 200 million and players have accomplished 78,000 years in the game.
Finally, read this blog on how EA is ruining the franchise (or not) due to its downloadable content. Answer the following questions:

1) What audience pleasures for The Sims are discussed at the beginning of the blog?
  • The pleasure of diversion- escape of reality 
  • personal relationship and identities with the avatars in the game.
2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?
  • expansion packs 
  • stuff packs- furniture options etc..
  • DLC
3) How did Electronic Arts enrage The Sims online communities with expansion packs and DLC?
  • They felt that the game should've already contained some of the features within the expansion packs and DLC.
4) What innovations have appeared in various versions of The Sims over the years?
  • Allowance of multi-generational legacies
  • Ability to travel between neighbourhoods, download other player creations
5) In your opinion, do expansion packs like these exploit a loyal audience or is it simply EA responding to customer demand?
  • I think they exploit audiences as in retrospect they only benefit the creators.

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