Research Homework

Media Convergence: Rockstar teamed up with a Movie Company to produce the next trailer for the new Red Dead Redemption game.

VIDEOGAMES+MOVIES=MEDIA CONVERGENCE

Synergy: Rockstar were under pressure to make the same game for 3 different formats: PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, each with their different problems. It was rumoured that the reason for GTA 4’s delay was that Rockstar were struggling to perfect the PS3 version.

Proliferation: FIFA 11 is an example of a game which has had Proliferation, there is over 11 different versions of FIFA 11.

Technological Convergence: The Xbox 360 is an example of a technological convergence device because the original Xbox didn’t allow you to watch DVD’s in HD but now with the Xbox 360 this allows you to watch them in HD.

Media Ownership: Call of Duty, developed by Infinity Ward, the published by Activision.

First Party Game: In the video game industry, a first-party developer is a developer that is part of a company that manufactures a video game console, and develops exclusively for it. First-party developers may either use the name of the company itself (like Nintendo), have a specific division name (like Sony's Polyphony Digital), or have formerly been an independent studio before being acquired by the console manufacturer, such as Rare or Naughty Dog.

Second Party Game:  Game Freak, which mainly develops the Nintendo-exclusive Pokémon game series. Studios like Insomniac and Game Freak are very rare in the video game industry because without the direct support of the platform owner, it is very risky financially to be developing solely for a particular platform.

Third Party Game: Third-party developers can be owned by larger third-parties, such as the relationship between Neversoft (creator of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series) and Activision. Because of this, much larger third-parties that also publish their own games are typically referred to as publishing houses even though they do develop many of their own games internally.

Vertical Integration: A company which does everything to do with the creation and distribution of the video game by themselves for example Rockstar.

Horizontal Integration: A company which works with another company to produce a game. This could also be known as synergy, for example the developer and the distributer are different.