Impact of digitally convergent media platforms on video

Impact of digitally convergent media platforms on video game production, distribution and consumption notes

Key Areas • Digitally convergent media - One example is video game consoles , you can not only play games but access social media , surf the internet, stream films and TV content into i. Cloud based servers. Cross media content helps maximize profits and also improve reach to new customers • Production refers to all phases of designing , developing and making the media product • Distribution – refers to process linked to delivering media product to audiences through disc (tangible) and digital cloud based media relates to marketing and promotion of the game • Consumption explores how media text used by audiences for pleasure and the rise of user generated content across serval platforms

Initial Distribution • Without the commercial backing of a mainstream publisher, and no money being spent on advertising revenue, Minecraft had to rely on word of mouth between gamers (also talked about on forums) , it was also shown in the penny arcade web comics which generated interest amongst gamers about it • Jan 2011, the beta version of the game had over 1 million purchases in only 1 month • By April Persson estimated that 33 million dollars of revenue had been made

Produced on Java, Distributed and consumed across a range of deice and platforms • The simple PC Java game became a successful global phenomena across all consoles and held devices • Minecraft is now a multiplatform game, which can be played on PC, smartphones, Microsoft consoles (Xbox), Play. Station 3 and 4, PS Vita, and more recently Nintendo consoles (Wii U), hand held device (Nintendo Switch and Nintendo New 3 DS, New 2 DS XL and New 3 DS XL) • All of these open up new markets of profitability and increased exposure to new and existing audiences who will be able to access it

Relationship of recent technological change and media production, distribution and circulation • Due to the originality of the game, most players did’t need a physical copy of the game and just logged in. When Xbox and Play. Station versions were created there was a chance to offer digital versions of the game across Windows 10 operating system to help promote the Microsoft brand across home computers (a form of synergy) • Users were then encouraged to download the game through the cloud servers rather then have a physical copy of the game as this was more of a cost for the institution • The pattern of release for Minecraft shows that physical copies are normally released 6 months after the downloadable version. Done to limit the impact of privacy, hacking and files sharing

Produced on Java. Distributed globally simultaneously • The marketing campaigns for games often have worldwide and simultaneous releases across each video game market. This has been facilitated by digital technology – global online release • Budgets for video games vary, Minecraft is a good example of a game that was made using open source software within the gaming community, creating the original Minecraft using Java gave it the advantage of being cross platform (it can run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux • Compares to how mainstream games that require entire teams of programmers, artists and engineers to make these video games have budgets that are equal to or exceeding that of mainstream films

Distribution or Consumption • The cultural impact of Minecraft is significant, as much f its success was due t word of mouth from the gaming community and gamers sharing their own mods and game footage across online forums and video sharing sites like You. Tube • Different versions of Minecraft were released to entice different audiences (e. g. moving away from narratives to include story modes, spectator modes and multi-player functionality across Minecraft Realms • The updates from the game maintain interest because of this