The Sims FreePlay Case Study - Industries

Regulation – PEGI

Research the following using the PEGI website.

1) What is the VSC and how does it link to UK law?

• VSC - A Rating Board is an Administrator of the PEGI age rating system and is  used in over 30 countries throughout Europe. 
• Links to UK law through the fact that 16 and 18 rated games are legally enforceable and cannot be sold to anyone under those respective ages.' 

2) Note down the key statistics on the homepage.

• 13938+ Games Rated
• 15141+ Apps Rated 
• 1702 Number of Member Oultets
• 30 years in operation

3) What is the purpose of PEGI?

• The purpose of PEGI is being committed to providing as much helpful information we can about video game ratings.

4) Click on the PEGI Rating tab in the top menu. What are the age ratings and what do they include?

• PEGI 3:"majorityof games in this category do not contain anything that requires rating or warrants a content warning."
• PEGI 7"majority of games in this category do not contain anything that requires rating or warrants a content warning."
• PEGI 12"detailed and realistic looking violence towards fantasy characters is allowed."
• Parental Guidance
• PEGI 16:"expect to see more mature and realistic violence against human characters."
• PEGI 18:The adult classification, applied when the level of violence is both realistic or severe in nature, often being graphic with blood and gore.

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

• Assess the contents of the game 
•  receive video footage of the game as well as a copy of it.
•  Another assessment to ensure nothing has been misinterpreted from a questionnaire. 
• Play the actual game and assess gameplay and representations.
• The game receives a PEGI rating.

The ‘Freemium’ gaming model

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

1) How does the freemium model work?

• A game with limuted features and is free to download but has in app purchases that expand the gameplay.

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

• They limit the game play of the game.

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

• expand the features
• "the ability to download and try a game for free is great"

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

1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.

• 70-80% of the $10 billion or more in iOS revenue.

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

• It allows players to spend more time playing the game.

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

• The possibility of addiction amongst players 
• Accidentally purchasing games by children.

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

1) Why did Temple Run use the freemium model?

• To enhance the gameplay with the addition of extra tolls when purchased.

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

• They end up being a lot more profitable as well as reaching a wider audience.

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

• “Freemium is a weapon against the establishment,and the establishment has a hard time even wanting to pick up that weapon.”

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?

• There were limited amounts of avatars you could create but now you can have puppies,kittens and dragons etc...

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

• Players can communicate with each other and suggests improvements to the game with creators.

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

• They are involved in the development of the game.

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

• They use the excitement of the players and ask for new developments the players want to see in the game.

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 200 million times.
• It has been played for an equivalent of 78,000 years.

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- escape of reality.
• Personal relationships.
• Personal identities. 

2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?

• Expansion packs 
• Stuff packs 
• DLC

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

• They felt that the features in the packs should have already been in the game anyways.

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

• The ability to have multi-generational legacies and travel between neighbourhoods and see other player creations.

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

• I thinks these packs are bad as they are subject to hackers and trolls which can steer new players away.