Horizon Forbidden West: Audience and Industry

 Audience:

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

Regarding demographics, the audience on all platforms is predominantly male. The largest ratio of male to female gamers is found on the Xbox Series X|S (68% vs. 32%) and PlayStation 5 (68% male; 29% female).

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

The minority known as "hardcores," or those who claim to play video games competitively or with serious attention, is most represented on the PS5 (19%) and Xbox Series X|S (20%).

The Nintendo Switch (45%) and PC are the platforms where casual gamers are most prevalent, with half of players identifying as such (51%). 

Horizon Forbidden Forbidden West seems like a lighthearted game to me.

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

YouGov conducted research on the motivations behind gamers' actions and found multiple factors. Entertainment, escape, social contact, challenge, and discovery are a few typical motivations. Now, Horizon Forbidden West is an amazing open-world game with intriguing gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and an engaging story. It is safe to conclude that the entertainment value, the chance to immerse oneself in a colourful and rich universe, the difficulty of conquering challenges, and the excitement of exploring the game's expansive areas may all serve as motivators for players to play it. 

1) How is the game promoted to an audience?

"Join Aloy as she braves the Forbidden West – a majestic but dangerous frontier that conceals mysterious new threats"

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

• Brave an expansive open world 
• A majestic frontier
• Confront new dangers
• Unravel startling mysteries. 

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

"Brought to life with an eclectic cast of characters and outstanding technical artistry, Horizon Forbidden West shows the power of the gaming medium to deliver outstanding entertainment, emotive storytelling, and compelling artistic vision."

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

Standard edition- HFW(PS4) and digital upgrade to PS5 version. Price= £44.99

Standard edition- HFW PS5 and PS4. Price= £49.99

  

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?

HFW Blog and HFW videos  

1) Why did the writer enjoy Horizon Forbidden West?

When you fire one up, you are immediately presented with either an enormous amount of space to gladly spend hours exploring or a pitfall where you can become frustratingly lost and bored. The world map can be a helpful or detrimental tool, but it's frequently difficult to predict which game worlds will be friendly and inviting from the outset and others will be a boring bore.

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

The sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games is the kind of game that draws you into the story and then lets you go explore for the first five to ten hours. It establishes structure and a feeling of the objectives for the game, making it the perfect start to a game with a lot of open areas.

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

After I became fully engrossed in Horizon Forbidden West and was enjoying every minute of gaming, I began to look around every corner of the landscape. I relished the opportunity to retrace my steps and pace myself as I pleased. I was able to proceed with the main tale without feeling compelled to concentrate on anything specific when I started to feel aimless. 

Industries:

Industry research:

Research Sony PlayStation Studios. 

2) What studios are part of Sony PlayStation Studios?

The game production studios Naughty Dog, Santa Monica Studio, Insomniac Games, Guerrilla Games, and Sucker Punch Productions are among those that make up Sony PlayStation Studios. Well-known PlayStation-only titles like The Last of Us, God of War, Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Ghost of Tsushima have been developed by them. The PlayStation gaming ecosystem benefits from the distinct creativity and skill of these studios. 

3) What notable games have they produced?

Amazing games like God of War, Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us series, and Ghost of Tsushima have been created by Sony PlayStation Studios. PlayStation players have grown to adore these critically acclaimed and beloved games. The creative and technical prowess of the studios that brought these games to life, including Santa Monica Studio, Guerrilla Games, Insomniac Games, Naughty Dog, and Sucker Punch Productions, has been on full display. 

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?

Actually, Sony Interactive Entertainment, a division of Sony Corporation, is the owner of Guerrilla Games. Regarding how it represents the contemporary video game industry, Guerrilla Games is renowned for innovating at the cutting edge of technology and producing visually spectacular and captivating gameplay. Their work on games like as Horizon Zero Dawn demonstrates the industry's emphasis on open-world exploration, compelling stories, and high-quality graphics. The success of Guerrilla Games emphasises how crucial it is to be innovative, creative, and to provide great gaming experiences in the current video game 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.

• Teamworking is important in this industry 
• post everything because companies still might want you to join 
• environment art is a discipline

1) Which three companies merged to become Guerrilla Games?

That collective of developers was formed by Orange Games, Digital Infinity, and Formula Game Development

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

Killzone and Horizon Zero Dawn

3) How did Guerrilla maximise the Killzone franchise?

There was a lot of what we could call buzz about Killzone before to the game's release, and the positive anticipation overwhelmed the negative reviews. After more than a million copies were sold, Sony extended an invitation to Guerrilla to become a first-party partner. 

4) What did Sony sign with Guerrilla in 2004?

All of the games Guerrilla produced would only be available on PlayStation systems starting in 2004. 

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

It's a world scarred by the inexplicable demise of a civilization, a far-off future that appears to be a far-off past, and a place so welcoming that you may occasionally breathe in and take in the surroundings. In Killzone, this was never the case. Even with a few complicated double-crossings and a series-long tendency for shocking protagonist deaths that would have made the Call of Duty writers' room pleased, the characters in the latter were also not particularly memorable. Through Horizon, Aloy saw a different side of Guerrilla—soft-touch storytellers and superb world-builders who were also adept at getting the most out of PlayStation hardware and perfecting the feel of a headshot. Only the ninth game from the studio under the Guerrilla Games name and its third outside of the Killzone series will be Horizon: Forbidden West. 

Regulation and PEGI:

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

16 because young people can play and there is violence involved, I believe this grade is excellent.

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

In the digital age, controlling video games can be difficult for several reasons. Firstly, games may now be easily distributed and accessed thanks to the digital landscape, which makes content management and monitoring more difficult. Furthermore, because technology is developing so quickly, new platforms and games are often coming out, which makes it challenging for rules to stay up to date. Moreover, the worldwide scope of the internet poses difficulties for the enforcement of regulations in diverse nations with disparate legal and cultural norms. In the digital age, these elements add to the difficulty of policing video games.

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

The internet has altered public perceptions of media control and content. It has made it possible for a wider range of opinions and voices to be heard, upending preconceived ideas about regulation. But worries about false information and damaging content have also made it clear that sensible control is required.