Console Gaming

From Baruchnewmedia

1 Introduction
2 What is Console Gaming
3 New Media and Console Gaming
4 Little Big Planet
- 4.1 Aspects of New Media
5 The Future
6 References

Introduction

What is Console Gaming

A video game console is defined as an interactive entertainment system that produces a video display signal which is used by display device to display a video game. Early in its history, the distinction of a "video game console" is given as a machine dedicated for the main purpose of playing video games.^[1] As video game console technology, popularity, and entertainment value grew, so did the uses for the machine. The speed of technological growth demands that each console becomes more powerful and sophisticated as consumers demand change, resulting in a new generation of video game consoles each decade since the 1960s. The current generation of consoles that do more than just play games include Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, and Nintendo's Wii.

New Media and Console Gaming

Data source: PricewaterhouseCoopers

New media involves using the evolution of the internet and communication technology to build a global virtual community by breaking down physical and psychological barriers. The reason that console gaming has developed into an "all-in-one" media device is that research estimates the gaming industry will be twice as big as the music industry by 2011.^[2] The exposure of console gaming to so many households represents a large market for consumers to participate in the 5 C's of communication, collaboration, community, creativity, and convergence. The current consoles help to promote new media because the devices not only play video games, but all three systems have access to an online digital media delivery service (Microsoft's Xbox Live, Sony's PlayStation Network, and Nintendo's Wii Shop), have the ability to play back videos and music stored on the devices' hard drives, and stream videos through the DVD rental service, Netflix. The Wii and PlayStation 3 also allow for internet access through browsers included on each console. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 share the ability to connect with Facebook as well as DVD playback (and Bluray on the PlayStation3).

The integration of the online community with almost every video game supports the communication, community, and collaboration aspects of new media. Players can talk to each other through headsets while playing online-enabled games or even chat with each other normally outside of games (communication). Players can also form clans/clubs/groups/parties with friends and people that hold similar interests within the gaming community, and display their gaming highlights through Trophies on the PlayStation 3 and Achievements/GamerScore on the Xbox 360 (community). These services, along with each console's unique personal identification (Nintendo Miis, PlayStation Home, and Microsoft avatars) help push console gaming in direct competition with personal computers and PC gaming. ^[3]

Little Big Planet

Create Your World

Consoles may demonstrate some of the requirements of New Media, but some games offer strong examples of new media and its ability to allow the users to contribute to their overall experience. One of the few games that incorporates the "5 C's" of New Media into the user's gaming experience is LittleBigPlanet by Media Molecule for the Playstation 3. This game has received multiple awards for its clever game design, which allows users to customize their avatars called "Sackboys" while running around a physic-based world collecting items in the same fashion as the popular platformer game, Super Mario. The game also includes the same set of tools used by the game developers to create the entire game, which asks players to create their own levels, then share them through the PlayStation Network in a format many have compared to the Social Media site, YouTube. After playing through the main game, the replay value is only limited by player's willingness to try other players' levels and their imagination as they can come up with any possible level and offer it to the world to play. While not every level is "fun", data shows that approximately 2 million users have contributed to the LittleBigPlanet community since February of 2010^[4].

LittleBigPlanet YouTube Channel

Aspects of New Media

Communication: Up to 4 players can play through each level (online or local); The ability to communicate with random user via headset or text
Collaboration: Up to 4 players (local) can work on/edit a level simulatenously; Some user-created levels offers the whole level as a collectible item, which each player can find in their play through of that level; Users will often create custom items and offer them as collectible prizes in their levels; Everything collected online, unless the original creator marks it as "private", can be modified locally from any player's console
Community: Over 2 million user-created levels, which can be voted on and commented on; Like YouTube, LitteBigPlanet offers a filter which allow players to search by keywords, different categories, highest rating, etc. Many people also share videos of their levels on YouTube or the photos they take during the game
Creativity: Each 'sackboy' or 'sackgirl' can be personalized with hundreds of outfits, stickers, and items found throughout the game locally and online; Every one of the 2 million plus levels are unique; The physic-based world allows for multiple approaches to solving a problem
Convergence: The mashup of player and developer as users are given the same tools that the makers of the game uses; Each user can bring together different music, shows, or themes and mash it all into one stylized level; Brings the community, creators, and players together to fuel a vibrant and distinct social network

The Future

As console gaming continues to grow both in technology and as a mainstream media, the idea of an "all-in-one" media device may not just be limited to science fiction. The gaming industry is a booming business that will attract more investors, designers, and creative minds for the years to come and can become a common household item like the personal computer. The growth of the market also means new business models to generate profits and the transition to digital distribution means more "micro-transactions", or spending actual money for digital products. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 will be joining the motion-control domain of the Nintendo Wii with the introduction of the PlayStation Move and Project Natal, respectively. This means that the more users will be able to physically interact with their games, making it harder to separate the player from the game on a physical level. The functions of the consoles will change depending on what the users will demand in terms of entertainment and social media.