Videogames: Horizon Forbidden West - Audience & Industries

 Audience

Look at this YouGov blog on the console gaming audience and answer the following questions:

1) What statistics can you find for the number of male / female players for the major consoles?

2) What is the difference between 'hardcore' and 'casual' gamers - and which do you think would play Horizon Forbidden West?

3) What are the different reasons YouGov researched for why players play games? Which of these would apply to Horizon Forbidden West?

Look at the PlayStation website page for Horizon Forbidden West. Complete the following tasks: 

1) How is the game promoted to an audience?

2) What are the key features for the game listed on the site?

3) What information does the website offer players about the game world and characters? Give a few examples.

4) What spin-offs and additional content are available as part of the Horizon franchise?  

5) Applying Henry Jenkins's work on fandom, what aspects of the website (you may need to scroll down) encourage fan activity and engagement with online Horizon communities?  

Read this Wired feature on Horizon Forbidden West's open world design. Answer the following questions: 

1) Why did the writer enjoy Horizon Forbidden West?

2) How is Horizon Forbidden West structured for players when they first start the game?

3) Why does the writer feel HFW created a more successful open world game than The Witcher 3?

Industries

Industry research

1) Research Sony PlayStation Studios. 

2) What studios are part of Sony PlayStation Studios?

3) What notable games have they produced? 

4) Now research Guerrilla Games. Look at the 'Explore' page in particular. Who owns Guerrilla Games and how does it reflect the modern videogames industry? 

5) Choose one of the 'Guerrilla Spotlight' features and write three things you learn about the videogames industry and/or Guerrilla Games from the interview.

Read this USA Today feature on Guerrilla Games. Answer the following questions: 

1) Which three companies merged to become Guerrilla Games?

2) What other games and franchises were created by Guerrilla Games?

3) How did Guerrilla maximise the Killzone franchise? 

4) What did Sony sign with Guerrilla in 2004? 

5) How is Horizon Forbidden West described in the article and what is the next stage for the franchise?  


Regulation and PEGI

1) What is HFW's PEGI rating and what age rating do you feel would be appropriate? Why?

2) Why is regulating videogames difficult in the digital age?

3) Are attitudes towards media content and regulation changing as a result of the internet? Explain your answer.

A/A* extension tasks

Read this fantastic GQ feature on Horizon Forbidden West - it takes in the history of the franchise, audience pleasures and also gender appeal and videogames. This is the kind of article that will make you an expert on the CSP and help you form opinions on the big media theories and debates. GQ is also another one of our in-depth CSPs too! 

Read Factsheet 258 - Exploring the consumption of computer games. Look particularly at the application of media theory on the last two pages. You can find it in our Media Factsheet archive.