The Impact of Digitisation and Convergence of Games - Case Study Example

The impact of digitisation and convergence of games Student’s name: Course: Tutor’s name: Date: The impact of digitisation and convergence of games There is little doubt in the academic circles that digitisation and convergence has, and will continue having a major impact on the information and communication industry. The extent of such effects is still a subject of discussion since no one has developed a measurement instrument that can predict with certainty, just how much the impact will be. In the gaming sub-sector, digitisation has enabled the delivery of games to a greater number of people on an online environment. Additionally, game developers are now able to innovate, customise and merge games in the electronic communication platform - thus giving gamers more variety, different levels of difficulties, and a new platform to interact (Sammut-Bonnici, 2008). Convergence has on the other hand enabled the speedy delivery of digitised games, and has also enabled game developers to access cheaper digitisation and system customisation costs (Sammut-Bonnici, 2008). Consequently, the developers pass on the benefits of lower costs to the gamers, who can now play online games without having to pay for the services, as was the case when online gaming was just starting. With digitisation and convergence, gaming is no longer an inflexible undertaking as was the case when players had to be in the same physical location in order to participate in the game together. As games that are more traditional become digitised, and as people work on converging games that were previously independent entities, the world of gaming will possibly become a more thrilling place for the gamers (Barr, 2000). There is also the possibility that game developers will produce more localised content, which when published online, will increase the level of difficulty in gaming, and the variety of games available in different platforms. Since game developers will have ‘older’ games to refer to, there is also a possibility of them creating hybridised games that combine some of the features contained in the old game, thus creating even more complex, engaging or entertaining games (Barr, 2000). Harwood (2011) also observes that some original game developers have since given leeway to players to modify their games by allowing the modification of source codes. Such action means that the players can create new games through adapting existing resources on specific games, fix problems on existing games or add interesting new features. Subsequently, such actions lead to spin-off games, which have the ability to develop through modifications as time goes by. Citing Machinina, which is an artistic and cultural movement developed by an online gaming community, Howard (2011) notes that digitisation and convergence can also be credited with enhanced social interaction and development. According to Finn (2002), new income-generating avenues are being created through the digitisation and convergence of games. For example, it is estimated that the video game market will grow from US$52.5 billion to US$86.8 billion in just five years between 2009 and 2014. This represents an annual growth rate of 10.6 percent. Accordingly, the game market is rated second in terms of fast growth. With majority of the world’s population being young people, online games have a ready market, which is going to last as long as more people are being born, or until a more interesting innovation that would capture the interest of the young people is discovered. Notably, the digitisation and convergence of games has benefits to the gamers who can now access a greater variety of games to choose from (Dizard, 1997). In the past, gamers would be content with sticking to one type of a gaming device (e.g. a gaming console, and maybe changing the video games from time to time). In the digital and converged gaming environment, one can change the game or his/her gaming opponents as many times as he/she wishes. Additionally, gamers can now enjoy greater graphical sophistication compared to two decades ago when game consoles were the order of the day. Economically, digitisation and convergence has had a great impact on developers of game consoles. According to Finn (2002), Microsoft was the first console developer to adopt the convergence strategy in its Xbox gaming device. Other consoles released by the likes of Sony, Nintendo, and Sega were largely seen as anti-convergence. Among the impressive characteristics of the Xbox include its online potential through broadband access, the high-capacity hard drive and the fact that it has a DVD player. It is also worth noting that the digitisation and convergence of games has prompted partnership and team efforts among the technological, software and content developers. As Finn (2002) notes, developing a technologically-advanced gaming device is not sufficient enough; rather, the developer of such a device must partner with content and software providers in order to give consumers “sufficient quantities of quality software” if success is to be guaranteed. Through digitisation and convergence, game developers are now at an increased potential of gaining economic benefits from electronic commerce. As Harwood (2011) observes, game developers can now exploit the e-commerce potential presented by the virtual communities who express interest in their games. Harwood (2011) argues that the economic potential is available to co-creators and co-producers of games. To the game consumers, Harwood (2011) notes that the digitisation and convergence of games has had an impact on how people perceive the boundaries between the fictional worlds as represented in the games and the real physical world where they reside. The perception regarding such boundaries is specifically important if one is to consider the effect it has on gamers’ ability to manage their online social identities, relationships and currencies on an online environment. The digitisation and convergence of games has also succeeded in merging cultural divides that exist in different societies. In an online gaming environment, players in the same platform can be from different cultural backgrounds and still participate in the game without any inhibitions. Notably however, Finn (2002) notes that irrespective of how technically or institutionally advanced a game is, its acceptability in a specific culture may determine its success therein. In the past, the debate on the effects that some games have on young people’s inclination to violence has been inconclusive but some writers such as Seay (2006) have indicated that games have both social and psychological impacts on gamers. The need for convergence has placed new demands on innovators, game developers, content developers and the software developers. As Costikyan (2002) observes, modern games and modern gaming platforms have to be interactive, goal-oriented, and must have some element of struggle in order to be challenging or enticing enough for gamers. Additionally, Costikyan (2002) observes that games need to have a good structure, and an endogenous meaning. The latter, according to Costikyan, means that any game must “create its own meaning” (p. 14). In order for each game to have its own distinct meaning, it needs to have a proper and maybe distinct structure. Finally according to Costikyan (2002), a game must fit into the ‘interactive entertainment’ criterion. This is especially so because many gamers do not just want a game for the sake of it; rather, they want to engage in an interactive game that not only provides them with a socialisation platform, but also a mode of entertainment. When such demands are placed on the innovators, content and software developers, and game developers, the gaming public are rewarded with more flexible and interactive games. Additionally, the need to provide the public with superior gaming solutions has increased the level of investment that companies dedicate to game-related research and development. As Costikyan (2002) citing LeBlanc notes, if game developers are to fully satisfy the needs of gamers who are placing more demands on the industry as digitisation and convergence continues gaining currency, they must learn to create games that appeal to the gamers’ sensations, fantasies, narrative and the quest for challenges. Additionally, the games must offer gamers a sense of fellowship since gamers usually perceive themselves as a community brought together by their collective interest in gaming. Additionally, Costikyan (2002) argues that games need to be objects of discovery if they are to appeal to gamers. If there was nothing in games to discover, chances are that the games would be too boring for gamers to take interest in them anymore. This means that game developers face an ever-present challenge to keep the games as unpredictable as possible. It is worth noting that gaming communities usually engage in more than just gaming experiences and the satisfaction that it offers. According to McGonigal (2010), in addition to interacting in abstract and digital forms, gamers also take time to discuss their immediate surrounding. As such, McGonigal argues that video games give players a platform where they can find solutions to some of the pressing social problems like global warming. Although this may seem like a far-fetched thought to many, it is worth noting that the gaming platforms give people from diverse cultures and society a chance to dialogue. It is thus probable that such dialogue would come up with the much needed solutions for some of the identified problems. Besides, the abstract games can invoke some thoughts and ideas, which when nurtured can provide solutions to pressing societal issues. References Barr, T. (2000). New media .com .au: the changing face of Australia’s media and communications. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. Costikyan, G. (2002). “I Have No Words & I Must Design: Toward a Critical Vocabulary for Games.” (F. Mayra, Ed.) Proceedings of Computer Games and Digital Cultures Conference. Retrieved 13 July 2011, from http://www.costik.com/nowords2002.pdf Dizard, W. (1997). Old media, new media: mass communication in the digital age. NY: Longman. Finn, M. (2002). “Console games in the age of convergence.” Proceedings of Computer Games and Digital Cultures Conference, ed. Frans Mäyrä.Tampere: Tampere University Press. Pp. 45-58 Harwood, T. (2011). Virtual worlds and e-commerce: technologies and applications for building customer relationships. NY: IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61692-808-7.ch004 Sammut-Bonnici, T. (2008). “Effects of convergence and digitisation on the ICT industry.” Retrieved 13 July 2011, from: http://staff.um.edu.mt/tsam1/index.html Seay, A. (2006). “Project massive: the social and psychological impact of online gaming.” Dissertation Chapter. pp. 1-156. Read More