The Sims FreePlay CSP - Audience and Industries blog tasks

 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.

• Life simulation: Players control and create Sims’ lives.
• Customization: Build homes, design characters, and create stories.
• Updates: Seasonal events and new content keep the game engaging

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

It highlights personalisation, live events, and updates shaped by community feedback, fostering creativity and collaboration with players.

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

Players enjoy creative freedom, immersive gameplay, and frequent updates, though some criticize in-app purchases

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?

Will Wright described The Sims as a "digital dollhouse," emphasising its open-ended, sandbox nature where players create and control simulated lives.

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

Maxis was initially not interested in The Sims because they viewed it as a risky project. It lacked the traditional objectives and goals of a game, making it hard to market in a time when simulation games focused on clear, structured gameplay.

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

Modding refers to modifying a game’s original content by adding or altering features, such as creating custom objects, characters, or storylines.

This links to Henry Jenkins’ concept of textual poaching because it allows players to "borrow" and reimagine the game’s framework to create something personally meaningful, making them active participants in the storytelling process rather than passive consumers.

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

• Henry Jenkins: Players transform The Sims into "an expressive medium through which they could communicate their own stories and fantasies."
• Celia Pearce: She emphasizes the "collaborative and participatory culture" that emerged around The Sims.
• Will Wright: He notes, "I wanted to give players the tools to tell their own stories."

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

• Players replicating works from popular culture, such as recreating iconic TV shows, movies, or celebrity homes.
• Famous recreations include sets and scenarios inspired by series like Friends or films like The Matrix.

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

Transmedia storytelling involves narrating a story across multiple platforms and media formats.

The Sims allows players to create transmedia storytelling by giving them tools to craft and share stories that extend beyond the game itself. Players might post screenshots, videos, or narratives on forums, creating a larger narrative universe connected to the game.

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

• Over 20 years, The Sims online communities have grown into vibrant hubs for sharing custom content, mods, and stories.
• Forums and websites, such as Mod The Sims, have enabled collaborative creation and sharing of user-generated content.
• These communities have also served as platforms for storytelling, fan art, and gameplay challenges, fostering long-term engagement.

8) What does the writer suggest The Sims will be remembered for?                                                            The writer suggests that The Sims will be remembered for its transformative impact on gaming culture, particularly for its role in empowering players to become creators, its emphasis on storytelling, and its contributions to the development of participatory fan communities.

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?

The Sims empowers players, especially women and girls, to engage in creativity, social interaction, and skill-building beyond traditional gaming, blending real-world and game-world learning.

2) What does the designer of The Sims, Will Wright, want players to do with the game?                        Will Wright wants players to think like designers, create their own content, build communities, and develop skills that extend beyond the game.

3) Do you agree with the view that The Sims is not a game – but something else entirely?                         Yes and No, becausse  If a game requires strict rules and goals, The Sims might not fit. But as an open-ended creative platform, it broadens what "gaming" can mean in different ways having the user control what they want to do.

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?

The game has expanded significantly with regular updates, new events, storylines, customisation options, and content designed to reflect player feedback and emerging trends.

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

Schofield argues that games are now live services rather than static products. Developers continually update and improve games post-launch to keep players engaged and ensure the experience evolves over time.

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

Schofield praises the community as passionate and creative, highlighting their valuable feedback and the role they play in shaping updates and new content.

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

EA introduces frequent updates, live events, seasonal content, and collaborations that keep the game relevant and engaging, catering to player interests and encouraging consistent interaction.

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 over 300 million times, and players have logged 78,000 years of gameplay, showcasing its massive popularity and enduring appeal.

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 blog highlights the creativity, freedom, and storytelling opportunities players enjoy, allowing them to build homes, craft characters, and simulate lives in unique and personal ways.

2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?

Examples include themed expansion packs such as Pets, Seasons, University, and Island Living, as well as smaller add-ons like furniture packs and clothing bundles.

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

EA angered fans by offering essential features, like pools or toddlers, only through paid DLCs or expansions rather than including them in the base game. This gave the impression of withholding content for profit.

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

Innovations include open-world gameplay in The Sims 3, enhanced building tools, emotion-driven gameplay in The Sims 4, and expanded customization options across various installments.

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

This depends on perspective. Expansion packs cater to customer demand for more content, but withholding core features for DLC can feel exploitative. Striking a balance between profit and value is crucial to maintaining loyalty. 

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.                                                                                         The article highlights that freemium games generate over 85% of the gaming industry's revenue, with billions of players worldwide participating in games that are initially free to play but include optional in-game purchases.

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

Freemium games rely on player retention to maximize revenue through in-game purchases. Developers are incentivized to design engaging, high-quality, and long-lasting experiences to keep players invested and willing to spend money over time.

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

The model could evolve with innovations like personalized monetization and new technologies, but risks include over-monetization, backlash against pay-to-win mechanics, and regulatory scrutiny of microtransactions and loot boxes. Balancing profitability and player satisfaction is key.

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?                                               PEGI assigns age ratings to games based on content, ensuring suitability for players. In the UK, these ratings are legally enforceable under the Video Recordings Act, restricting sales to underage individuals.

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

• 3+: No violence or fear.
• 7+: Mild violence or scares.
• 12+: Moderate violence, mild profanity, or sexual innuendo.
• 16+: Realistic violence, strong language, or drug use.
• 18+: Graphic violence, explicit sexual content, or glamorized crime.
  Content descriptors (e.g., violence, language) give extra detail.

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

Developers submit a content questionnaire and footage for review. PEGI evaluates, tests, and certifies the game with an age rating and descriptors.