Thursday, March 12, 2020

Media Paper 2 PPE - Learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).

55/84 B Above MT2 = Credits x2

2) Did you succeed in meeting or exceeding your target grade for A Level Media in this paper? If not, how many additional marks do you need to achieve your target grade in Paper 2?

I managed to achieve above my target grade 
These are the grade boundaries we've used, based on last year's A Level exam but raised slightly to account for the fact they will probably move up slightly (out of 84):  

A* = 75; A = 66; B = 54; C = 44; D = 32; E = 20.

Now read through the AQA mark scheme for Paper 2 - you'll already have looked at this in class when marking the exam booklet of other students' responses. The original Paper 2 question paper is here if that is helpful too.

3) Write a question-by-question analysis of your performance. For each question, write how many marks you got from the number available and identify any points that you missed by carefully studying the AQA indicative content in the mark scheme:

Q1:
5/9

My analysis of the main character and the setting behind I believe was too weak to get a higher mark, patriotism and connotations of the american flag were also points I should have added.
Q2:

18/25

I believe I overall did well with this question and was just missing details and or additional theories. 
e.g. of what I could have added.

research – such as the Bobo doll experiment – has demonstrated the way
in which (young) people are influenced by violence with research including
real world and television examples.

effects research into video games tends to focus on violent game-play;
both Lara Croft and Metroid are action adventure games which focus on

assault and killing in the narrative

Q3:
16/25

Same issues as the prior question but to a greater extent.

Examples of what I could/should have added.

the contexts of production are more important and influential than any
intent of the ‘authors’ as it is impossible for the individual to transcend

social and cultural contexts

it can be argued that this representation has now become part of the

mainstream but Men’s Health had a role in this change.

Q4:
16/25

The structuring of my questions I believe are fine, but the same issue arises, my details need to be improved and applied more with the context.

Examples of things I need to include.

Kudos, the independent producer of the series, specialises in TV
series which can be sold or remade for the US market, making it
typical of contemporary media institutions which operate globally

rather than nationally

AMC and RTL were able to develop the series in the context of new
opportunities for distribution and exhibition – e.g. the Walter Presents
platform in the UK, which is a subsidiary of C4, exploiting broadcast

and digital opportunities

how audiences are grouped and categorised by media industries,
including by age, gender and social class, as well as by lifestyle and

taste



Example: Q2: 13/25 marks
Additional points: I didn't mention media effects theories such as cultivation theory; I didn't focus on the question asking 'how valid' are media effects theories; I could have discussed the effect representations of women have on male gamers as suggested by Anita Sarkeesian; I could have discussed the ideological impact of The Sims on young gamers indoctrinated into the American capitalist dream...

4) Look at question 4 - the synoptic question on TV. Write a full, new essay plan for this question using the indicative content in the mark scheme (focus particularly on distribution) and taking care to include at least one paragraph that addresses the synoptic element. You can use bullet points but make sure you offer enough content to meet the criteria for Level 4 (top level). This will be somewhere between 4-6 well-developed paragraphs planned in some detail.

Intro:

Briefly talk about my opinion and begin to give briefly state to the points I'm going to make. e.g. Capital and D83 both to an extent do reflect changing attitudes to global productions 

Para 1:
begin to talk about D83 - Bring up the production company (RTL, AMC and Sundance) this combination is an example of a merging of international and traditional production companies developing together, bringing a more representational, global perspective.
Delve deeper into the idea of a connected world due to the internet.

Para 2:
Rebuttal the above para by stating that if the show is funded by American money, there is only a certain amount of a different perspective the show can provide. Tied down by american money does not represent a wholly diverse and global production. This combined with the fact that the show represents a very western idea of life.

Para 3:
Capital does provide this idea of a global audience/production but only to an extent

  • Diverse actors
  • Different perspective
  • Truer representation of a diverse London than done normally
Para 4: 

Again also limited as the show only provides a look at London and nothing more, ideas of international relations are present in the show but are not shown, this combined with the fact that its funded with western money strengthens this point.

Conclusion:
Our case studies D83 and Capital do represent a growing interest in global television, but only to a certain point as western influence manages to get a hold on every industry.


 
5) Based on the whole of your Paper 2 learner response, plan FIVE topics / concepts / CSPs / theories that you will prioritise in your Easter Media revision timetable.

D83
Capital 
Theories (in general) 
Analysis questions 
Evaluation improvements in questions

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Newspapers: The decline in print media

Blog tasks: The decline in print media

Part 1: Ofcom report into news consumption 2019

Read this Ofcom 2019 report on the consumption of news in the UK. Note down the key statistics and changes that Ofcom highlight and answer the following questions:

1) Look at the key findings from the report on pages 2-3. How do UK adults generally get their news? 

Most adults in the UK are beginning to get their information from social media, while TV is still the dominant source of information for most adults; the percentage of social media and TV users is changing relatively drastically (4% in a single year).
2) Read the overall summary for adults on pages 7-8. What do you notice about the changing way adults are getting their news?

The way adults are receiving their news is changing, while TV and the BBC are still core parts of news culture for most adults; the influence of social media is growing and becoming far more apparent. Although not massive shifts, the shifts are big enough to suggest major changes in the future for entertainment and news consumption .
3) Look at the summary of platforms used on page 13. What do you notice about newspapers and how has it changed since 2018?

further decrease in usage (2%)
4) Now look at the demographic summary for news platforms on page 15. What audience demographic groups (e.g. age, social class) are most and least likely to read newspapers?

Most likely to read newspapers - Old, male, white, abc1
Least likely to read newspapers - Female, young, ethnic minority, C2DE
5) Read Section 3 on cross-platform news consumption (page 20). What newspaper brands can you find in the list of most popular news sources across platforms?


  • Daily mail, mail on Sunday 
  • The guardian, the observer 
  • The sun, Sun on Sunday
  • Metro

6) Now turn to Section 6 focusing on newspapers (page 33). How has the circulation of national newspapers decreased between 2010 and 2018?

The overall total circulation of newspapers have gone down overtime. In 2010 the circulation was 21.9 million, in 2018 that figure has gone down to 10.4 million.

7) What are the most-used newspaper titles?

the most popular newspapers are the Daily Mail, The Sun and Metro. 

8) What are the most popular titles when print and online figures are combined (look at page 38)?

The most popular titles overall are, The Daily Mail, The Guardian and Metro.

9) How does the i compare to the Daily Mail?

Daily Mail has an overall readership of 9,623 while i has a readership of 2,615. Making a difference of 7,008. (000)

10) Now study the demographic details for our two CSP newspapers on page 39. What is the breakdown of the Daily Mail audience and the i audience? What differences do you notice?

Daily Mail:
Majority of the Daily Mails readership are old (65+) of the ABC1 category and white.

i:
Significantly less readership than the Daily Mail
Most old (65+) men who belong to the ABC1 category, but the ethic majority of the readership seems to be fairly split down the middle with there being 5% ethnic minorities and 5% white.

11) Read section 7 of the report: news consumption via social media (pages 40-52). Pick out three statistics from this section that you think are interesting and explain why.

 Facebook having a total of 73%, their dominance in the market is expected but still surprising at times.

WhatsApp having a high total percentage than instagram.

Most twitter users are male.

12) Look at the summary of readers' attitudes for newspapers on page 76. What statements for Daily Mail readers tend to agree with?

That its high quality, that it helps them understand the world, that its accurate.


Part 2: Factsheet - The death of print media

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 165: The death of print media. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) What has happened to print media in the last 30 years?

Print media in the last 30 years have lost significant amounts of popularity, and the shifting of consumer wants is the main culprit for this.

2) Why is the Independent newspaper such a good case study for the decline in print media?

The Independent is a newspaper that has "died", established in the 80's, the independent remained on outskirts of popularity, retaining a relatively low readership in comparison to their competition. In 2016 although, the Independent went entirely online showing the death of print newspaper.

3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?

It was famous for providing unorthodox front pages and stories.


4) What did the then-owner of the Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, say about the newspaper's digital-only future?

“The newspaper industry is changing, and that change is being driven by readers. They’re showing us that the future is
digital. This decision preserves the Independent brand and allows us to continue to invest in the high quality editorial content that is attracting

more and more readers to our online platforms.”

5) How do online newspapers make money?

Online newspapers make money in a few ways, one way would be advertisements, another would be paid posts and a third would be views on YouTube and other platforms.

6) What did the Independent's longest-serving editor Simon Kelner warn regarding the switch to digital?

Simon Kelner suggests that "For me, the power of the Independent came from
the variety of voices, the originality in its design and the iconoclastic
feel of the paper. It is very difficult to replicate that in digital form. And
it is even more difficult to do that with a paper like the Independent.”

7) What is the concern with fake news? What does 'post-truth' refer to?

Social media and the ease of producing your own news has led to the creation and distribution of "fake news", news that is as the name suggests, fake; this combined with the lack of regulation over social media and the internet as whole means that people can be manipulated, something that could be incredibly dangerous.

8) What is your view on the decline in print media? Should news be free? Is it a concern that established media brands such as the Independent can no longer afford to exist as a printed newspaper?

I feel its nothing more than the gradual change of consumer needs, if business cant keep up with it its their fault.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Learner Response - PPE

1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).

WWW - This was an absolute joy to read in places with brilliant engagement and genuine originality and insight in your answers. A could of key lessons cost you you the A grade.

EBI - Q2: a huge lesson here! you don't answer the question (refer to the unseen text) and instead offer a paragraph on This is America. Do not do this in the real exam!

Q7 Needed a little more clarity in use  of theory... and Hall's reception theory would seem to an essential aspect to this question.



2) Did you succeed in meeting or exceeding your target grade for A Level Media? If not, how many additional marks do you need to achieve your target grade in this paper?

I believe my target grade was an A, I got a B instead at 63 marks. I was 5 marks off

The grade boundaries for this paper:

A* = 78; A = 68; B = 56; C = 46; D = 36; E = 26.

Now read through the AQA mark scheme. This is vital as the paper was an official specimen exam paper and therefore the mark scheme tells us a lot about what AQA are expecting us to produce. The original question paper is here if that is helpful too.



3) Write a question-by-question analysis of your performance. For each question, write how many marks you got from the number available and identify any points that you missed by carefully studying the AQA indicative content in the mark scheme:

Q1: 6/8

I don't believe I analysed the texts more apparent features such as the text etc enough as I should have, and instead focused on the implied meanings.

Q2: 6/12

I miss read the question and failed to mention the unseen text, that was the main thing that cost me my marks.

Q3: 6/9

I missed my marks in the details. If I was to add more theorists or spoken about e.g. Talking about equilibrium may have gotten me the extra marks.

Q4: 16/20 

 As with question 3, I believe I missed my marks by not adding as many details as I could have. If i was to also add a little more analysis to score hair cream with its ties into hyper masculinity, I may have gotten more marks.

Q6: 7/9

After reading my answers and the marks scheme, I believe that it is apparent that my main flaw is the fact that I tend to miss out on details. The same can be applied here too.

Q7: 16/20

The same as my prior questions 

Example: Q1: 5/8 marks
Additional points: didn't mention codes and conventions of music promotion flier/poster;  didn't discuss unconventional focus on mouth rather than eyes; didn't discuss idea that gender stereotypes are ironically reinforced to emphasise 'outsider' element of artist.

4) Look at Question 4 - a 20-mark essay evaluating how useful Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity is. Write a full essay plan for this question using the indicative content in the mark scheme and with enough content to meet the criteria for Level 4 (top level). This will be somewhere between 4-6 well-developed paragraphs planned in some detail.

Intro-

Agree with the idea presented, but only to an extent. discuss the idea of there being more important theories.

Para 1-


  • Context behind score hair cream
    • What that context means to the idea of masculinity 
  • Changing of masculinity - What it was then 
    • Growing male anxieties 
    • Soft skills
  • Beginning evolution of masculinity 
Para 2 - 

  • That Boss Life being a clear example of a changed idea of what it means to be masculine 
  • Here, disagree with the idea clearly with the point "there is no clear defined standardisation of masculinity
    • Manny Guiterez is an example of this
  • Stages of masculinity 
  • Rise of homosexuality 
Conclusion- 


  • use the argument of a lack of a standardised definition of masculinity to conclude the question combined with the idea that masculinity is in a constant state of change. 


5) Based on the whole of your Paper 1 learner response, plan FIVE topics / concepts / CSPs / theories that you will prioritise in your summer exam Media revision timetable.

Newspapers
Every CSP - primarily the OSP ones
Audiences
Theories
VideoGames

Monday, February 24, 2020

Newspapers: Weekly Media homework - news story research

Daily Mirror 


People wearing protective face masks are led away from a bus at Lyon Perrache bus station in France today, after the coach arrived from Italy with the driver reportedly suffering from a cough

The story is in essence just another example of the growing corona virus fear. After a bus driver was showing symptoms of the virus after coming from Italy, the bus driver and all of its passengers were quarantined. He was screened and proven clear of the virus.

Calling badly-paid work 'low-skilled' fuels Britain's class divide



Union members and striking McDonalds  protested outside Downing Street in November to demand better wages and guaranteed contracts (Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images)


The article is a good example of "i"s left wing nature. It highlights the issue with Preti Patels recent controversial proposition to ban low skilled workers from entering the country. The article further highlights the issues this brings as it (by what the article suggests) underestimates the skill required to do such jobs such as a care worker, retailer etc. The article also highlights the possible racial undertones the new legislation may present. 


Daily Mirror
Coronavirus: Brits with even a minor fever will soon have to self isolate for a week



The above article is about the coronavirus, it states that people who show even slight remote symptoms to the virus should aim to at least attempt to self isolate for a week. This is apart of the new stage of the virus containment plan. This article is less opinionated and more factual but also highlights the tendencies to portray mainly bad news.


"I"

Coronavirus in the UK: Britons working from home and panic buying could lead to more late-night supermarket deliveries

British shoppers have been stocking up on hand sanitiser amid coronavirus fears (Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty)

It seems that every newspaper is jumping on the coronavirus panic. The above article highlights the extent of panic buying and employees working at home means that late-night supply runs for supermarkets after talks with the government to help alleviate supply stress.



Daily Mirror
Kate Middleton dazzles in blue to host glitzy palace bash for children's charity



The support for Kate Middleton is very apparent in the above article. The daily mirror is known for their support of the royal family, in particular Kate Middleton, this support falls in the line of their target demographic of the conservative middle-class citizen. If only they could do the same with Megan Markel


Independent 

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall, review: a much-needed reality check


Author, activist and cultural critic Mikki Kendall

An interesting take on feminism that's not explored often, if ever. The left-wing nature of the Independent is showing in this article; the nature of the feminism movement is questioned and critiqued, asserting the idea that current pop feminism is the white woman's feminism that has exploited colour women for years. I wouldn't call it thought-provoking, but it's an alternative take on the movement, especially in the same week of international women's day is ballsy.

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Videogame Index

1) Videogames: Women in videogames
2) Videogames: Further feminist theory
3) Learner response: OSP assessment
4) Videogames: Tomb Raider Anniversary
5) Videogames - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
6) Videogames: Henry Jenkins - fandom and participatory culture
7) Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 1 - Language & Audience
8) Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 2 - Industries
9) Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 3 - Representations

Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 3 - Representation

The Sims FreePlay - Representation blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called 'The Sims FreePlay case study part 3 - Representations' and complete the following tasks.

Textual analysis

Re-watch some of the expansion pack trailers and answer the following questions:

1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?

The main ideologies that are enforced in the trailer are:

Capitalism is the main ideology that is present in the trailer 

2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?


Gender stereotypes
Sexuality stereotypes

Traditional family ideals


3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?

Van Zoonen - The idea that gender is constructed through media language 
Stuart Hall - Identity being constructed rather than being given to us
Gauntlett - Masculinity theories 


Representation reading

Read this Forbes article on gender and racism in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:

1) How realistic does The Sims intend to be?

The Sims intends to be as realistic as possible with the technology available. This is done through serious emphasis on relationships, family, and money

2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?

Using more realistic character models 

3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?

By stating the game is entirely under the player's control

4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?

The sims, seems to not focus on the idea of gender fluidity seeing that the game has you choose a specific gender at the beginning. They have stated although, that the idea of gender fluidity is interesting, but needs to be explored properly before hand.


5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?

Purchasing and a meritocracy mindset is a very visible  


1) How did same-sex relationships unexpectedly help the original Sims game to be a success?

Same-sex relationships helped show the flexibility of Sims, showing that the game allows players to truly do what they want

2) How is sexuality now represented in The Sims?

Autonomy is given to players by allowing to do exactly what they want. Same-sex relationships are normal in the game.

3) Why have fans praised the inclusion of LGBTQ relationships in The Sims franchise?

It acts as a means of normalising same sex relationships as it's being made by a massive gaming company 

4) Why did the Sims run into regulatory difficulties with American regulator the ESRB? How did EA respond?

The availability of the "love bed" and sex between sims made the ratings for the game difficult to determine

5) How is sexuality represented in the wider videogames industry today?

Far more inclusive than before in all respects. 


Reality, postmodernism and The Sims

Read this Paste Magazine feature on reality and The Sims franchise. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?

It suggests that The Sims 4 is quite realistic, so much so that it can take away from diversion as it makes you lead a domestic life

2) What audience pleasures did the writer used to find in The Sims franchise?

Escapism, this audience pleasure is extra amplified with the sci-fi and fantasy expansion packs

3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?

It was a way of further showing the extent of domesticity the game shows

4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?

I feel an element of fantasy/unrealistic content is vital to make the game different as making it more realistic ruins the point of a game. You can't escape from reality if the game you're playing resembles your reality 

5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?

Hyperreality is the USP of Sims, its main goal is to blur the line between what's real and what's a game by trying to make their game as realistic as possible.


The Sims FreePlay social media analysis

Analyse The Sims FreePlay Facebook page and Twitter feed and answer the following questions:

1) What is the purpose of The Sims FreePlay social media channels?

To help promote the game, keeping fans updated with brand new content, incentivising purchases of currency by stimulating interest 

2) Choose three posts (from either Twitter or Facebook) and make a note of what they are and how they encourage audience interaction or response.

  • brand new Nightclub in SimTown
  • Daring Do's Hobby Event is back 
  • Sims 20th birthday, House competition 
All three of these events offer an incentive to come back to the game, from competitions and limited time events, the instagram page shows an interest in maintaining an interactive audience  

3) Scroll down the Facebook feed briefly. How many requests for new content can you find from players? Why is this such as an important part of the appeal for The Sims FreePlay?

There are constant requests to add brand new content from fans of the game, this kind of interaction is important as it helps the game developers get opinions and ideas for the games improvements

4) What tweets can you find in the Twitter feed that refer to additional content or other revenue streams for EA?


  • " Do your Sims love to live the high life" ... " Complete the glam mansion special event
  • "Wish you were a little kid again? Tap into your Sims 'inner child' with the quest re-run, live in game now!" 
  • "Executive producer & general manager of the sims franchise held a discussion with he Women's ultimate team in Melbourne. She spoke about her 17+ year game development". 
5) Linking to our work on postmodernism, how could The Sims FreePlay social media presence be an example of Baudrillard’s hyperreality and simulacra?

Merges reality and the Sims by being a real world media product but being based on the Sims world

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 2 - Industries

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?

VSC is a PEGI administrator as PEGI 12+ age ratings are legally enforceable 

2) Note down the key statistics on the homepage.


  • 13938+ games rated 
  • 15141+ apps rated 
  • 1702 number of member outlets
  • 30 years in operation 

3) What is the purpose of PEGI?

To give games appropriate age ratings depending on the game's content 

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. Games given this rating are considered suitable for all age groups.
 

Some violence in a comical context or child-friendly setting is acceptable, as is nudity when shown in a completely natural and non-sexual manner such as breast feeding.

PEGI 7

Any game that would normally be rated at 3 but contains some possibly frightening scenes or sounds may be considered suitable in this category.
 
A little more violence is permissible at PEGI 7. It is always unrealistic and often directed towards fantasy characters, though very mild non-realistic violence to humans may also feature. Implied violence (for example the bombing of a city where violence is not seen directly) is also dealt with at this level.

PEGI 12

At a PEGI 12 level 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.
Sexual posturing of the type often seen in music videos is also allowed at this level as is sexual innuendo.
 
Some bad language is allowed but it can be no more than mild swearing.
 
At PEGI 12, games may provide some instruction on casino-style gambling, for example they can feature an explanation of the rules for Blackjack or Poker. This descriptor also appears on PEGI 16 and PEGI 18 games.
 
A game at this level may feature horror content such as strong threat and dread or graphic injury details.

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. 
 
Sexual activity can be shown but it must not include visible genitals. Depictions of erotic nudity may feature.
 
The worst forms of bad language can be heard and will often include sexual expletives.
Prominent use of tobacco and alcohol may be featured, as well as the use of illegal drugs. The game could glamorise crime.

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.
 
The game may include detailed descriptions of criminal techniques, or it may in some way glamorise the use of illegal drugs. Encouragement of tobacco or alcohol may also be included.
 
Sexual activity with visible genital organs may be shown. If a game is released physically in the UK and is likely to attain an R18 rating, the game will be referred to the BBFC for classification.





5) Scroll down to look at the ‘How games are examined’ infographic. What is the PEGI process for rating a game?

First the developer must send a detail list of what the game contains, from there evidence of such actions with a video and a copy of the game is necessary. the game then goes to playtesting, from there the game developers get a certification. 


The ‘Freemium’ gaming model

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

1) How does the freemium model work?

Fremium is another way of saying free but you have to pay money to get good. Freemium games tend to offer certain very important aspects of the game easier to obtain/get to with money 

2) Why do some gamers believe freemium is ruining games?

Freemium results in games taking weeks or even months to make significant progress, making modern gaming more tedious than ever.

3) What are the positives of the freemium model for gaming?

I personally see none. I believe it does help more independent game developers finance future games; but other than that, I am wholly against the freemium, pay to win model.



1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.

80% of the $10billion in iOS revenue- received from in-app purchases ( each year) 

2) Why does the freemium model incentivise game developers to create better and longer games?

The better the game, the longer the game, the more likely that people are going to keep playing it and purchase currency, lootboxes etc.

3) What does the article suggest regarding the possibilities and risks to the freemium model in future?


Game developers may receive scrutiny due to

  • Kids accidentally purchasing items
  • Standard games becoming boring. 

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

1) Why did Temple Run use the freemium model?

It's a game that doesnt end, if it doesnt end then the potential of making money is very high.

2) The bigger gaming studios like Electronic Arts used to avoid the freemium model. Why are they now embracing it?

It's mainstream and has proven its ability to make significant amounts of money

3) Why does Peter Farago suggest independent game makers benefit more from the freemium model than the major publishers like EA?

Producers like EA have already established business models that would require a large amount of effort to change into a freemium service, while indie developers will not need as much effort or time to do so.

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 Sims FreePlay has evolved into a more intricate game over time with far more features and developments 

2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?

Since video games can be such a personal medium for gamers and game developers, Amanda Schofield suggests that games aren't products anymore as they now act more as a relationship between said gamers and game developers 

3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?

The Sims Gaming community has become almost as involved with the development of the game as the developers

4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?

Constant updates and game changes has kept the audience interested

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.



  • Over 200m installs of the Sims Freeplay
  • 78,000 game time ( by year) 

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?

Diversion along with personal identity and relationship 

2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?

Expansion packs and characters models 

3) How did Electronic Arts enrage The Sims online communities with expansion packs and DLC?

They showed the main issue with a freemium business model by selling DLC (Downloadable content) that should have been in the game in the first point

4) What innovations have appeared in various versions of The Sims over the years?


  • Gender options increased 
  • Increased diversity present in the game. 
  • Multi-generational legacies 
  • Autonomy- gave gamers full access to the 'hyper realistic' world of Sims 3 ( travelling to different neighbourhoods)
5) In your opinion, do expansion packs like these exploit a loyal audience or is it simply EA responding to customer demand?

Expansion packs have no other use than to make more money for game developers, this applies to EA too