In this blog post I will talk about how media audiences respond to video games using different theories such as the user and gratifications theory and the hypodermic needle theory.
The user and gratifications theory looks at why and how audiences go and seek out media in order to satisfy specific needs and wants. The hypodermic needle theory looks at passive audiences and how they intake media and what they do with it. Although people disagree with this theory and say it is outdated and audiences are actually active and they use the information they get and interpret it and either agree or disagree with it.
The user and gratifications theory looks at why and how audiences go and seek out media in order to satisfy specific needs and wants. The hypodermic needle theory looks at passive audiences and how they intake media and what they do with it. Although people disagree with this theory and say it is outdated and audiences are actually active and they use the information they get and interpret it and either agree or disagree with it.
The first video game I will talk about is GTA V an 18 rated game developed by Rockstar North. This is an open world action -adventure game for the Xbox 360, Xbox 1, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
There has been many different controversies surrounding this game such as the argument of violence in video games. There has also been lawsuits filed against Rockstar North by celebrities Karen Gravano and Lindsay Lohan accusing Rockstar North of using their likenesses in the game
Using the hypodermic needle theory which bases that audiences are passive but this is out of date because people are more of an active audience and ask questions of issues that they read instead of taking them in and accepting them. It also looks at a wide range of audiences instead of every individual person. If I take this theory and applying that to GTA it would suggest that gamers are a passive audience but because GTA is very popular game it is very popular and played by a lot of gamers
When applying the users and gratification's theory which looks out how and why people look for media to fulfill specific needs and applies that it is in our interests to search for entertainment with the form taking violence. It allows the audience to re-create what is unacceptable in society.
By using this theory on GTA people will use GTA to fulfill their gaming needs and also could use it to let out anger to get it out of their systems. This could then make people want to kill other people butif someone underage were to play this game then they would want to re-create what they do in the game. This is a different response to someone who is older and would be more responsible and leave the violence for the game and not real life.
By using this theory on GTA people will use GTA to fulfill their gaming needs and also could use it to let out anger to get it out of their systems. This could then make people want to kill other people butif someone underage were to play this game then they would want to re-create what they do in the game. This is a different response to someone who is older and would be more responsible and leave the violence for the game and not real life.
The next games i will look at are in the Call Of Duty franchise.
Using the hypodermic needle theory which bases that audiences are passive but this is out of date because people are more of an active audience and ask questions of issues that they read instead of taking them in and accepting them. It also looks at a wide range of audiences instead of every individual person. In COD every person is different there are people who are normal and play the game for fun but there are also serious gamers who play it.
If someone underage were to play this game then they would want to imitate what they do in the game. This is a different response to someone who is older and would be more responsible and not imitate the actions that happen in the game.
Call Of Duty has had a lot of controversy such as gamers attacking or even killing people because of Call Of Duty.In an online article a middle aged man attacked a teenager over a game of Call Of Duty. Also a man killed seven people and was said he played Call Of Duty a lot.
By using this theory on COD people will use COD to fulfill their gaming needs and also could use it to let out anger to get it out of their systems. This could then make people want to kill other people butif someone underage were to play this game then they would want to re-create what they do in the game. This is a different response to someone who is older and would be more responsible and leave the violence for the game and not real life.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/man-attacks-child-over-call-of-duty/
Another game I will look at is Flappy Bird
This game had some controversy when it was pulled from the app store. This was due to the creator having a problem with how addictive and overused it turned out. This then caused phones to be sold on the internet sites such as eBay with the app installed on phones. Also this caused many remakes to be made.
This shows how an active audience can be so involved with a game and how they have reacted to it been taken down. In Flappy Bird people will play this game mostly for addiction because they will want to beat their scores if they keep doing well.
If I apply the hypodermic needle theory this would show that gamers who play Flappy Bird are an active audience because they have been involved in what has happened with the game such as how popular it is and their reactions to the game been taken off the app store.
The final game I will talk about is Destiny.
Destiny before release was a game that fans were really hyping up but when it came to release gamer weren't impressed by it. This shows how active gamers can hype up a game only for it to be not as good as first thought.
By using the hypodermic needle theory the audiences asked questions of the game and how it would turn out instead of accepting them as what they were told. If they just accepted what was told then the audience would think the game was going to great then it would have been.
If I apply the users and gratifications theory to the game gamers who play Destiny can play the game for their gaming needs also casual players will play the game during their spare time.
This shows how an active audience can be so involved with a game and how they have reacted to it been taken down. In Flappy Bird people will play this game mostly for addiction because they will want to beat their scores if they keep doing well.
If I apply the hypodermic needle theory this would show that gamers who play Flappy Bird are an active audience because they have been involved in what has happened with the game such as how popular it is and their reactions to the game been taken off the app store.
The final game I will talk about is Destiny.
Destiny before release was a game that fans were really hyping up but when it came to release gamer weren't impressed by it. This shows how active gamers can hype up a game only for it to be not as good as first thought.
By using the hypodermic needle theory the audiences asked questions of the game and how it would turn out instead of accepting them as what they were told. If they just accepted what was told then the audience would think the game was going to great then it would have been.
If I apply the users and gratifications theory to the game gamers who play Destiny can play the game for their gaming needs also casual players will play the game during their spare time.
