Audiences & Institutions: Distribution, Synergy, Symbiosis

Where do you access your games? GAME – The Shop

HMV

XBOX Marketplace

Play.com

Amazon

PlayStation Store

Itunes

Steam

Apple App Store

Ebay

Old Distribution Model

Retail centric – physical stores

Reliant on the manufacture and supply of the games disc and packaging

Requires more initial outlay by the games publishers to produce the disc and box, this eats into their profit.

Limited space in store so limited stock and choice

New Distribution Model

Games available: ONLINE

PlayStation Network is free if you own the PS3

Xbox Live is subscription based

App Store – download iPhone/Pod/Pad games (collectively known as iOS devices)

Other online services – Steam.

(You may want to research OnLive as a case study!)

Online shopping

What is the point of a games expo like Play yesterday?

What is the point of a games expo like Play yesterday?

Marketing – Many many people will have gone home after this weekend and mentioned to at least one person about the Wii U or Halo 4. Even more people will have mentioned it on social network – creating a buzz and a form of viral marketing.

It is a point of exchange between media consumer and the producer. This could have been through the developer Q and A’s or developers networking with others in their field – breeding creativity and maybe new ideas!

The serving of loyal ‘subculture’ communities – such as the retro market, card game roleplayers and the cosplay market. Specialist retailers had their market right where they wanted them! If you wanted a replacement pinball machine part, bespoke Pacman arcade cabinet for your bedroom or wanted to know how to make your own Chun Li costume, you could have got one!

The retro market was well catered for – remember the average age of gamer targeted is around 30. Those who grew up with Sonic, matured with GTA and know their way around COD. Hence large number of retro-themed stalls selling games, posters, t-shirts etc.

Developing the sense of community – meetups, e-sports, anime traders

Synergy

Synergy (from the Greek meaning working together) is the term used to describe a situation where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Simply defined, it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

It’s the ‘strategy of synchronising and actively forging connections between directly related areas of entertainment’.

New Technologies support this process – web, dvd, downloading. Media institution exploit various platforms to sell various products related to one film (e.g. film and soundtrack and video game).

Symbiosis is the linking up of various companies to make profits from one product

An example of synergy from Disney

CD

Game

DVD

Outlets

An example of synergy from Working Title Films….

DVD

Sound Track

This is when different companies work together to promote a range of related products. Eg High School Musical the film will enable spin-offs like Happy Meals, Easter Eggs, bedlinen, toy characters etc and the distributor will agree licensing deals for companies to make and sell this merchandising. A % of the profits will go back to the distributor

Walt Disney pioneered symbiosis marketing techniques in the 1930s by granting dozens of firms the right to use his Mickey Mouse character in products and ads, and continued to market Disney media through licensing arrangements.

These products can help advertise the film itself and thus help to increase the film's sales. For example, the Spider-Man films had toys of ‘webshooters’ and figures of the characters made, CD soundtracks, video games, DVD’s and other merchandising.

Symbiosis

Technological Convergence

Technological Convergence is the process by which a range of media platforms are integrated within a single piece of media technology.

For example the new Xbox 360 is a games console, a DVD player, an internet modem.

The iPhone is a phone, a camera, a video camera, an mp3 player, an FM radio, a games console, a web browser, a palmtop computer.

This demonstrates ‘convergence’ of a wide range of technologies.

Media institutions recognise that audiences enjoy using converged technology, want to consume media in a variety of different ways (including ‘on the go’) and provide short form content for downloading eg video clips, trailers, music videos, jingles, wallpapers, music tracks etc

TASK: Synergy and Symbiosis

1. Define these two terms without copying and pasting.

2. The examples earlier in the PPT used the film industry - Explain them using your own examples from the games industry – you will have to think about what to research. Googling “symbiosis in games” will not give you what you need!