Audience and Industry Analysis - Fortnite

Industry

• the nature of media production, including by large organisations, who own the products they produce, and by individuals and groups 

Company that produces fortnite: Epic Games

Fortnite is part of a franchise:

• Battle royale
• Save the world
• Creative 

Battle Royale made 1.2 billion in the first 10 months.

• the impact of production processes, personnel and technologies on the final product, including similarities and differences between media products in terms of when and where they are produced 

Unreal engine:

• Free to all.
• Make video games with this app.
• Open access [next step in gaming]
• Allows for diversity as anyone can make games.
• Made fortnite.
• If you were successful, epic games would try to gain profit from it.

• the effect of ownership and control of media organisations, including conglomerate ownership, diversification and vertical integration 
• the impact of the increasingly convergent nature of media industries across different platforms and different national settings 
• the importance of different funding models, including government funded, not-for-profit and commercial models 

• They may post trailers and walkthroughs on social media which engages a young audience and promotes the game to new audiences. These posts are easy to share with increasing marketing with global audiences.
• They use twitch to do live competitions – twitch is a live video gaming website on epic games so they target fans there by offering exclusive content.
• Epic games have synergistic partnerships with other brands to create cross promotions, they worked with marvel when they made infinity war costumes.
• They developed their own software Unreal Engine which they made available on their website to players – this encourages the audience to be active in designing their own games, levels, skins and mods.

Fortnite is an example of the ‘Games as a Service’ model where there is a constant revenue stream from ‘in game purchases’ after the initial purchase. 

• V bucks

Another revenue stream for GaaS titles is to offer ‘season passes’ ~ a subscription that allows you to access new content over the course of a period of gameplay (the ‘season’) that play for free users can’t access. 

Fortnite has synergised with other media brands and franchises in order to market the game and boost audiences and thus profit. E.g. Marvel, Ford, Marshmallow. 

Additional content:

• Some of these are ‘micro transactions’ where players pay for weapon, costume and game upgrades rather than ‘grinding through’ the gameplay to score them. In Fortnite, players use V-bucks to purchase these items, and these can be earnt in the game or bought using ‘real world’ money. Another game that does this is Candy Crush. 
• Unusually in Fortnite the upgrades are purely ‘cosmetic’ i.e. they don’t actually affect the gameplay. They often consist of new ‘skins’ (to alter your character’s appearance) and ‘emotes’ (victory dance moves after a kill). These are only available for a short period of time, increasing their value and encouraging players to pay rather than ‘grind’ for them. 
• Fortnite offers players ‘battle passes’ and then drip-feeds limited edition and exclusive content to these players over the course of the season.

• how the media operate as commercial industries on a global scale and reach both large and specialised audiences
• the functions and types of regulation of the media
• the challenges for media regulation presented by ‘new’ digital technologies 

• Age ratings are systems used to ensure that entertainment content, such as computer games, are clearly labelled by age according to the content they contain. Age ratings provide guidance to consumers (particularly parents) to help them decide whether or not to buy a particular product. The rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age.
• In 2012 the PEGI system was incorporated into UK law and The Video Standards Council was appointed as the statutory body responsible for the age rating of video games in the UK using the PEGI system.
• Fortnite has the PEGI rating of 12 for “frequent scenes of mild violence”. It seems that parents are more concerned with issues surrounding addiction than the levels of violence.

Audience

• how and why media products are aimed at a range of audiences, from small, specialised audiences to large, mass audiences 
• the ways in which media organisations target audiences through marketing, including an understanding of the assumptions organisations make about their target audience(s)
• how media organisations categorise audiences 

Additional notes:

• Fortnite has used a combination of addictive gameplay, media/technological convergence and marketing to target a diverse and varied audience. 78% are male, 22% are female, 53% are 10-25, and 42% are in full time employment. 
• The unrealistic violence and cartoon style graphics, along with the emphasis on construction as much as killing, make it appealing to a younger audience.
• The rise of ‘eSports’ stars, mainly consumed via streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch (where Fortnite is the most watched game) has led to players becoming major celebrities. Ninja, the most famous Fortnite player, has over 10 million subscribers and earns over half a million dollars a month. Ninja ranks highest in the world for social media interactions (i.e. people posting or sharing using their name – no.2 is Christiano Ronaldo!
• This creates gamer celebrities that have become aspirational role-models for some audiences.
• The use of non-traditional gamer celebrities such as rappers and NBA athletes widen the appeal of the game. The popularity of ‘Twitch Girls’ (female streamers like KatyPlaysGames) has also appealed to women.
• Fortnite’s use of ‘seasons’ – with rumours and gossip about future seasons – follows the cable TV/ on-line subscription style of long-form TV drama.
• Trailers are almost like that of a film – engaging and gives the players an opportunity to embark on a journey, it’s not just a game, it’s an experience.

how media organisations categorise audiences 

Gender • Age range • Education • Occupation • Income • Race / ethnicity • Sexuality • Political views • Class • Genre preferences • Demographics • Psychographics • Active/passive 

• the role of media technologies in reaching and identifying audiences, and in audience consumption and usage

Fortnite.com 

• the ways in which audiences may interpret the same media products very differently and how these differences may reflect both social and individual differences 
• the ways in which people’s media practices are connected to their identity, including their sense of actual and desired self 
• the social, cultural and political significance of media products, including the themes or issues they address, the fulfilment of needs and desires and the functions they serve in everyday life and society 
• how audiences may respond to and interpret media products and why these interpretations may change over time

• It is a hybrid game, with violence and tasks like building, or battle. This appeals to a wide range of audiences. This may explain why it is so popular.
• It is a free to play game and is popular / appealing.
• When you log in, you get assigned a character and are dropped into an island, part of the goal is to survive on the island – as the last person!
• You are encouraged to play with other players to help survive – encourages social interaction which is appealing to audiences.
• Battles add a competitive element. Many audiences like challenges. There are rankings online too.
• Fortnite is getting 1 billion a year from this – financially successful game.
• It is available on cross platforms like consoles and computer and mobile – this allows players to switch devices whilst in the middle of a game which is accessible if they wish to leave their computer and go out and play.
• This engages with audiences who are comfortable with technology and accessible to games without big traditional consoles
• Other video games are quite sexualised and gendered – this may explain why there is an increase in female players.
• The fact that characters are randomly assigned – this allows the player to be anonymous and diverse.

Theoretical perspectives on audiences, including active and passive audiences; audience response and audience interpretation 

• The basic gameplay of Fortnite: Battle Royale is interactive and collaborative, encouraging players to work together. By being able to deconstruct and rebuild the game environment, players are encouraged to be creative. 
• Fortnite: Creative is a different format that allows even more creativity in designing ‘skins’, ‘emotes’ and landscapes. 
• In addition, Epic Games have made their operating system Unreal Engine available (at a price) to encourage the next generation of games developers.

Different types of readings of Fortnite 

• Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory

Additional notes:

• Fortnite – along with many video games – could relate to the ‘escapism’ and ‘catharses’.
• However, the collaborative nature of the gameplay could also provide social interaction. 
• The use of gamer and non-gamer celebrities could also relate to the search for role-models that contribute to personal identity. This could be linked to Dyer’s ‘Star Theory’.

Exam style question mark scheme