Videogames 4 - Ubisoft, media diversity, and economic factors in the videogame industry

Every media products exists to make money although there are a couple of exceptions for example Adbusters is a non profit organization. 

Ubisoft 

Quick facts:

  • 4th largest publicity traded game company in America and Europe.
  • Established in France 1986
  • A horizontal and vertically integrated media conglomerate with a number of studios and subsidiaries 
  • Their USP is that they focus on the production of 'AAA' games with a vast budget and high production values
  • Publishes and develops a range of games in different genres, targeting vast and widely different audience  
  • ubisoft is the company which published and produced assassin's creed

Why does ubisoft publish such a wide range of videogames? 
Its to minimise risk so they can maximise their profit 

one of their most successful franchise along with assassins creed is 'just dance'

Diversification 

A media practice seeks to produce a diverse or different range of media product which helps them target a range of different audiences.

Ubisoft have actually diversified beyond video games and not a lot of company's have done this; one of their other biggest ventures is ubisoft motion pictures. This is an example of vertical intergration, not only do ubisoft own things within the same industry but they also own different modes of production in different industry's as well. By using the same franchise (assassin's creed) which they have the rights to, they can release it in a different format, this now targets people who don't play videogames but who like to watch films which then allows them to diversify that output and reach a different audience. This does seem more risky and took a lot of time and money.  

Criticism of ubisoft 

Power and media industries - Curran and Seaton theory 

The media is controlled by small number of companies primary driven by profit ad power

Ubisoft focusing on mainstream big budget development, ubisoft arguably offer a standardized and 
generic product which makes ubisoft not a very diverse output 

Issues with aggressive conglomeration
- limits creativity 
- limits competition
- limits diversity   


Task - research Ubisoft and their games. You can find instructions in the image below. You cannot pick an Assassin's Creed game for this bit



90's 
Title - POD (planet of death)
Released - 1997
Genre - Racing car game
Platform - Microsoft windows
critical reception - Next Generation (was a videogame magazine) rated it 3 out of 5 stars


2000s
Title - Beyond good and evil
Released - 2003
Genre - Action adventure 
Platform - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, GameCube, Xbox
Target audience - was not really a target audience which is why this videogame did not take off as much.
Critical reception - Critics praised the game's animation, setting, story, and design, but criticized its combat and technical issues
Commercial success - this was a commercial failure however in 2008 ubisoft announced there would be a 2nd one 

2010
Title - Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
genre - action adventure/stealth game
platform -  Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Xbox 360, Windows Phone, Macintosh operating systems, Ouya, Bada
Taget audience - Very wide targeted audience 
Critical reception - Conviction has received mostly positive feedback from critics on Xbox 360 and PC. IGN's Alec Meer awarded it a score of 9.3 out of 10 
Commercial success - the series Tom Clancy's splinter cell is commercially successful. The series, along with Assassin's Creed, is considered to be one of Ubisoft's flagship franchises.


Assassin's creed - Fact file 

Title: Assassin's creed III Liberation 
Premise (what country and era is it set in?): The game is set between 1765 and 1777 of a young woman living in New Orleans 
Platform: Nintendo switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox one, PlayStation vita
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft office.
Release date: 30 October 2012
Development time and cost: The title was in development for two and a half years and had the longest development cycle since the first Assassin's Creed.
Studio which developed it:  Ubisoft Montreal 
Commercial success: Assassins creed III was the best selling game in the uk in the week of its release. 
Re-releases and special editions: There is a remastered version called 'revisiting a revolution'
RRP on release: Around £50 when first released but videogames go down in price very quickly 
Critical reception: Initial reviews for Assassin's Creed III: Liberation were mixed and it has an average rating of 3 1/2 stars
Merchandise: Shoe/boots that the character wears, dress up clothes, t-shirts, general merchandise you would get with any major selling videogame franchise. 







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