Videogames: The Sims FreePlay - Audience and Industries

The second aspect of our in-depth case study on The Sims FreePlay focuses on the audience and industries key concepts.

We need to know how videogames audiences have changed, how the industry is regulated and also the companies behind the game. However, the most significant aspect of this concept is the 'freemium' model that The Sims FreePlay uses.

Notes from the lesson: Audience

The Sims FreePlay: Audience

• The Sims franchise has demonstrated there is a strong and lucrative market in female gamers.
• When The Sims was first pitched by creator Will Wright he described it as a ‘doll house’. 
• The development company Maxis weren’t keen because ‘doll houses were for girls, and girls didn’t play videogames’. EA then bought Maxis, saw potential in the idea and one of the most successful ever videogame franchises was born.
• Expansion packs available for The Sims FreePlay reinforce the view that the target audience is predominantly female.

Participatory culture

• The Sims franchise is one of the best examples of Henry Jenkins’ concept of participatory culture.
• Since the very first game in the franchise, online communities have created, suggested and shared content for the game.
• ‘Modding’ – short for modifications – is a huge part of the appeal of the game. Modding changes aspects of the gameplay – anything from the strength of coffee to incorporating ghosts or even sexual content.

Notes from the lesson: Industries

Regulation: PEGI

• The videogames industry is regulated by PEGI – Pan European Game Information.
• In the UK, the Video Standards Council is responsible for regulating game content. In 2012, PEGI was introduced to UK law to make the age ratings legally enforceable.
• It is illegal to sell games to people below the age of the rating.
• The Sims FreePlay is rated 12+ due to mild references to alcohol, sexual content and similar adult themes.

Electronic Arts

• The Sims franchise is owned by Electronic Arts (EA), a huge name in the videogames industry.
• The Sims FreePlay was developed by Firemonkeys Studios, EA’s Australian subsidiary.
• The franchise was originally developed by Maxis after EA acquired the company.
• EA is famous for big-budget console games such as the FIFA series but has moved more into mobile gaming in recent years.

The 'freemium' model

• The Sims FreePlay uses the ‘freemium’ model – free to download and play but with in-app purchases. 
• Although initially more popular with smaller, independent game developers, the freemium model is now a huge revenue generator for major publishers like EA.

The Sims FreePlay CSP - Audience and Industries blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called 'The Sims FreePlay CSP - Audience and Industries blog tasks' and complete the following tasks.

Audience

Read this App Store description and the customer reviews for The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions:  

1) What game information is provided on this page? Pick out three elements you think are important in terms of making the game appeal to an audience.

2) How does the game information on this page reflect the strong element of participatory culture in The Sims?

3) Read a few of the user reviews. What do they suggest about the audience pleasures of the game? 

Participatory culture

Read this academic journal article - The Sims: A Participatory Culture 14 Years On. Answer the following questions:

1) What did The Sims designer Will Wright describe the game as?

2) Why was development company Maxis initially not interested in The Sims?

3) What is ‘modding’? How does ‘modding’ link to Henry Jenkins’ idea of ‘textual poaching’?

4) Look specifically at p136. Note down key quotes from Jenkins, Pearce and Wright on this page.

5) What examples of intertextuality are discussed in relation to The Sims? (Look for “replicating works from popular culture”)

6) What is ‘transmedia storytelling’ and how does The Sims allow players to create it?

7) How have Sims online communities developed over the last 20 years?

8) What does the writer suggest The Sims will be remembered for?

Read this Henry Jenkins interview with James Paul Gee, writer of Woman as Gamers: The Sims and 21st Century Learning (2010).

1) Why does James Paul Gee see The Sims as an important game?

2) What does the designer of The Sims, Will Wright, want players to do with the game?

3) Do you agree with the view that The Sims is not a game – but something else entirely?

Industries

Electronic Arts & Sims FreePlay industries focus

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?

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

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

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

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.

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?

2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?

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

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

5) In your opinion, do expansion packs like these exploit a loyal audience or is it simply EA responding to customer demand?

The ‘Freemium’ gaming model

Read this Business Insider feature on freemium gaming and multiplayer games. Answer the following questions:

1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.

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

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

Regulation – PEGI

Research the following using the Games Rating Authority website - look at the videos and FAQ section.

1) How does the PEGI ratings system work and how does it link to UK law?

2) What are the age ratings and what content guidance do they include?

3) What is the PEGI process for rating a game? 

A/A* extension tasks

Read this New York Times feature on freemium gaming - you may need to create a free account to access this. Think about the influence of Temple Run and why the bigger gaming studios like Electronic Arts used to avoid the freemium model. Why are they now embracing it?

Complete for homework: due date on Google Classroom.