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? 

% of male players for PlayStation5: 68%

% of female players for PlayStation5: 29%

% of male players for Xbox series X/S: 68%

% of female players for Xbox series X/S: 32%

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

Hardcore gamers - those who say they take videogames seriously or play competitively, they mostly play on PlayStation or Xbox 

Casual gamers - those that like videogames but are not one of their top interests, they mostly play on PCs 

I think it is more of hardcore gamers as the game has a complex story and it is a sequel to a previous game, something that casual gamers would not largely keep up with

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

relaxing and winding down, to escape reality and pass time are one of the top reasons gamers play games. I think to escape reality and pass time would apply to Horizon Forbidden West the most.   

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

1) How is the game promoted to an audience?

It is promoted as an "epic RPG adventure", there is additional content beyond Forbidden West that you can buy, and the entire Horizon series 

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

• an expansive open world 
• unravel startling mysterys 
• confront new dangers

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

There is the plot of the game explained - the land is dying and Aloy, with the help of her friends, must save the world. 

Sylens -  described as a sage, scholar and warrior, mystery who wants to keep it that way, as long as he is able to learn about the history of man and machine he strives to remain unseen. 

Erend - described as a loyal companion of Aloy, the captain of Vanguard(an elite group of warriors from the Oseram tribe) and someone that Aloy wants to protect

Varl - described as a warrior from the Nora tribe, he believes Aloy is a religious figure from the Nora's beliefs and that he is duty-bound to help her, which is why he is one of her loyal and returning companions 

Regella - described as the leader of a Rebel faction of the Tenaketh warriors, somehow her forces have gained the ability to tame and ride the machines, making her a threat to every tribe in the Forbidden West and beyond 

Kotallo - raised by the Tenakth sky clan, as a young warrior he became a marshal, a roving lawgiver who enforces peace within the tribe 

Tilda - described as a mysterious woman with a connection to the ancient past, everything about her is unknown 

Gaia - the central governing intelligence of the Zero dawn terraforming system, responsible for bringing life aback to the barren earth after its destruction, she sacrificed herself to stop Hades and in the process ordered the creation of Aloy

Aloy - the protagonist and the greatest machine hunter on earth, she started off as a motherless outcast but rose up to be the champion for all humankind 

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

The Horizon Universe includes the following: 

• Horizon the official site
• Lego: Horizon adventures
• Horizon Forbidden West: Complete addition 
• Horizon Forbidden West: Burning shores 
• Horizon: Call of the Mountain for PlayStation VR2 
• Horizon: Forbidden West
• Horizon: Zero Dawn remastered 

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?  

There are cosplay guides, paper craft guides, the official soundtrack which a fan can listen to in their own time, desktop or mobile wallpapers, FAQs, and ratings and reviews, 

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?

It's not too overwhelming but open and expansive 

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

You are able to backtrack and explore every nook and cranny of the game an you are not forced to focus on anything 

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

The Witcher 3 was restrictive and punished you when you didn't explore where it wanted you to, you ware unable to move up a level if you do not explore, taking the fun away from the game. 

Industries 

Industry research

1) Research Sony PlayStation Studios. 

A videogame organisation that has defined gaming for generations 

2) What studios are part of Sony PlayStation Studios?

Major developers such as Naughty Dog, Insomniac games, Guerrilla games, Santa Monica studios, Sucker Punch, Bungie, and Polyphony Digital 

3) What notable games have they produced? 

Lego: Horizon adventures, God of War and The Last of Us 

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 a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment  

There is an article about the use of AI in their game 'Horizon Forbidden West' - showing how they gaming industry utilises new technologies to their benefit instead of letting it overtake the humans in those jobs 

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.

- Things in the gaming industry can change in an instant - just like in any other brach of the entertainment industry. 

- In the video game industry, don't focus on creating works that you think your future employer might like or you'll inevitably end up working on projects that you don't ;like and will make you unhappy. In artistic jobs you must create works that represent you so you'll eventually be hired because of your concepts and work on projects that fit those concepts and your personality style

- At Guerrilla games, art concepts are a big part of their video games marketing and it is important that these illustrators get the vibe of the game right so it sells to the right audiences 

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?

They are best known for the Horizon series and Killzone franchise

3) How did Guerrilla maximise the Killzone franchise? 

They maximised the Killzone franchise by consistently pushing technical boundaries across multiple PlayStation platforms and expanding the series with spin-off titles in different genres. 

4) What did Sony sign with Guerrilla in 2004? 

They signed an exclusive publishing an development agreement 

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

it's described as a fun project and the next step for the franchise is the Lego spin-off

Regulation and PEGI

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

PEGI 16, yes I feel it is appropriate as there isn't too much violence in it that would impact a 16 year old significantly, and the storyline is complex which would take a more mature audience to understand

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

The PEGI ratings are only enforceable in stores, therefore it is very easily to lie about your age online and purchase a game, as there are no verification measures in place to check the age of gamers. 

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

Yes the attitudes towards media content and regulation are changing as a result of the internet, increasing governments have pout laws in place to regulate who can use which media sites. For example the UK's Online Safety Act of 2023 which focused on mandating platforms to protect under 18s from harmful content(ie porn and self-harm) with identity verification. As well as Australia's national social media band for under 16s on platforms such as Tik Tok, instagram, YouTube and X; to shield youth from online harms 

Due date: on Google Classroom

A/A* extension tasks

Read this fantastic GQ feature on Horizon Forbidden West - it takes in the history of the franchise, audience pleasures and also gender appeal and videogames. This is the kind of article that will make you an expert on the CSP and help you form opinions on the big media theories and debates. GQ is also another one of our in-depth CSPs too! 

Read Factsheet 258 - Exploring the consumption of computer games. Look particularly at the application of media theory on the last two pages. You can find it in our Media Factsheet archive.