Horizon Forbidden West: Audience and Industry

 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? 

PlayStation 5 (68% male; 29% female)

 Xbox Series X (68% vs. 32%) 

Nintendo Switch has the highest proportion of women playing its consoles, with 54% of gamers identifying as male to 46% identifying as female.

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

Casual gamers like video games but don’t see them as one of their top interests whereas hardcore gamers take video games very seriously or even play competitively. I believe casual players are more likely to be playing horizon forbidden west as it’s a story game rather than an online/competitive one. 

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

To relax and wind down,To pass the time,To escape from reality for a while,To challenge myself,To complete challenges and puzzles,To interact with gamers from around the

world,To do something I can't in real life,To have an emotional connection to a

story,To gain mastery of something within the

game,Out of habit,To create a world of my own

Out of the reasons YouGov researched I believe the main ones that apply would be to escape from reality for a while and to have an emotional connection to a story as the game is heavily based on narrative. 

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

1) How is the game promoted to an audience?

It highlights the games key features through the description and trailer which includes game play to show audiences the games pull factors. 

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

Narrative- Brave an expansive open world  Discover distant lands, new enemies, rich cultures and striking characters. 

Setting-  Golden Gate Bridge A majestic frontier  Explore the lush forests, sunken cities and towering mountains of a far-future America.

Machine and warriors Confront new dangers  Engage in strategic battles against enormous machines and mounted human enemies by using weapons, gear and traps crafted from salvaged parts. 

Characters/narrative - Unravel startling mysteries  Uncover the secret behind Earth's imminent collapse and unlock a hidden chapter in the ancient past... one that will change Aloy forever.

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

It describes the post apocalyptic world where life is dying and violent machines are taking over. It explains that Aloy must uncover secrets and stop a new threat. 

It introduces key characters such as:

Aloy - the main protagonist and machine hunter.

Sylens - a mysterious scholar with hidden motives.

Erend and Varl - allies who help Aloy.

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

Burning Shores expansion DLC which continues Aloy’s story in a new region.

Complete edition bundles, in game items, art and soundtracks.

Other Horizon games. 

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?  

Further down the page there are cosplay guides, paper craft guides and a reviews section which encourage fans to take the game further than just playing it. It encourages them to dress as their favourite characters and craft them out of paper which they’ll likely share to online Horizon based 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?

They thought there was a good balance between story and exploration which meant the game was welcoming rather than overwhelming/frustrating. 

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

The game guides players through the narrative for the first 5-10 hours.

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

Horizon allows players to explore at their own pace and return to the main story whenever they feel lost, making the open world feel like a choice rather than an obligation.

Industries 

Industry research

1) Research Sony PlayStation Studios. 

Sony playstation studios is made up of multiple studios that produce exclusive games for playstation consoles.

2) What studios are part of Sony PlayStation Studios?

Guerrilla Games,Sucker Punch Productions,Insomniac Games,Santa Monica Studio

3) What notable games have they produced? 

Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, The Last of Us, Uncharted, Marvel’s Spider-Man, God of War, Gran Turismo

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? 

Guerrilla Games is owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment. This reflects the modern videogames industry because large publishers buy successful studios to secure exclusive content and strengthen their platform. 

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.

Game development is collaborative and involves writers, artists, designers and programmers.

Storytelling is a key focus in modern games, not just gameplay

Developers often join the industry due to passion for games which shows how creativity is valued alongside skill.

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

1) Which three companies merged to become Guerrilla Games?

Orange Games, Digital Infinity, and Formula Game Development. 

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

Guerrilla focused mainly on the Killzone franchise and also developed games such as Shellshock: Nam ’67

3) How did Guerrilla maximise the Killzone franchise?

They created sequels on the playstation console and expanded so that the game worked across multiple platforms such as the handheld PS Vita. 

4) What did Sony sign with Guerrilla in 2004? 

An exclusive first-party contract, meaning future games would be released only on PlayStation platforms. 

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

Horizon Forbidden West is described as a visually stunning, expansive open-world game with memorable world-building and storytelling. They plan to make a virtual reality game which expands the game franchise even further. 

Regulation and PEGI

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

The game is rated PEGI 16 which I believe is appropriate as the game includes violence and weapons but the game isn’t very graphic so it falls beneath the PEGI 18 level. 

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

Games are now distributed digitally which means players can download content instantly from anywhere in the world. Online updates, downloadable content, and user-generated content can also change a game after release, making regulation harder to control and enforce.

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

I believe that yes, attitudes are definitely changing as people have access to much more content online and have been exposed to a lot more content which means that things we saw as very harmful in the past (e.g. violence) have been somewhat normalised in modern media.