Powerpoint made for the eduqas GSCE exam board media studies test. Use for revision.

1. Fortnite

2. Context
Launched in July 2017 and produced by Epic Games, the Fortnite franchise is a multiplayer free to play battleground game available on a number
of platforms and devices. There are 3 gamemodes including Battle Royale, Save The World, and Creative. Fortnite: Battle Royale is the most
successful free-to-play videogame ever, making $1.2 billion in the first 10 months of release. Initially, players had to buy ‘battle passes’ to play, but
in September 2018 the Battle Royale version was offered for free. The game had a revenue of £5.4 billion in 2018. The franchise has helped make
Epic Games a hugely successful company, Fortnite made their worth a lot higher than before. Fortnite has had numerous rewards for the Battle
Royal gamemode. The most popular gamemode has 100 players drop onto an island and collect weapons to fight, players are slowly pushed in by
the “storm” forcing them to fight and the last one remaining wins. Spins are put onto this in order to make the game feel fresh. Fortnite could be
classed as a sandbox/open world game with action aspects. Videogames have been rapidly growing in popularity from the 1980’s. Fortnites other
gamemode “Save the world” was meant to be the main game and Battle Royale was meant to promote it, howether it never went free to play
and lost the appeal people thought it would have as it was promised to become free. Also the style of the entire game has changed to cater for
it’s audience over time, originally it was planned to be a more realistic looking zombie survival game howether changed over time to become a
more cartoon style.
The view of video games in general has changed over time. Videogames have been rapidly growing in popularity from the 1980’s as well as
growing in complexity and the appeal has reached everyone.

3. Industry
Fortnite is produced by Epic Games and rated by PEGI, Fortnite is rated as a PEGI 12 (T for Teen ESRB). It made $1.2B in the first 10 months of its
release. Fortnite has had multiple “crossovers” with famous brands and celebrities such as Marshmellow, Marvel and Naruto. This expands the
audience of both sides of the crossover
The global video game industry has risen in size and popularity massively and the target demographic has also increased largely, the stereotypes
of people who play the games have changed.
PEGI ratings
ESRB ratings

4. Audience
Demographics
Blumler and Katz theory shows that people look at the media for separate reasons. These reasons are Diversion, Personal Identity, Personal
Relationship and Surveillance. Fortnite fits a lot of these categorys.
There is multiple categories of people, this form of judging audience may be inaccurate as it assumes what you like based on what job you have,
there is multiple categories of people, this links to Fortnite as it caters to all audiences in this category. Since you can play the game for free
howether you can not get any cosmetics which means you wont fit in, this makes the higher category audience
Category A(Upper middle class – bankers, doctors);
Category B(Middle class – teachers, middle managers);
Category C1(Lower middle class – office supervisors, nurses);
Category C2(Skilled working class – tradespeople);
Category D(working class – unskilled manual labour);
Category E(People at the lowest level of income – unemployed, students, pensioners)
Howether this is outdated and many see psychographics to be more accurate.

5. Audience
Psychographics
Adverts are more likely to be identified using psychographics rather than demographics. People fit into one of five categories or a mix.These
are:
Aspirers: people who want to appear rich and attractive and have a desire for something in life.
Succeeder: people who have a high social status, they seek control and think they deserve the best.
Explorers: adventurous people who like talking risks.
Mainstreamers: people who follow the crowd.
Strugglers: people who find it hard to achieve, often in poverty.
Reformers: people who don’t want change, are unimpressed by status and make decisions based on their personal beliefs.
Resigned: Often given up (resigned) in life and simply seek to survive, often old people fit into this.
Fortnite fits a few of these categories mainly Explorers and Mainstreamers.

6. Audience
Psychographics – Psychometrics
Bartle showed everyone that there are four different player types who play games for separate reasons. People usually fall close or into these
stereotypes. These are:
Achievers: players who primarily wish to achieve the goals of the game; associated with "Challenge"
Explorers: players who want to explore the game and “Discover” things before anywhere else, can be Easter Eggs or other features.
Socialisers: interested in relationships/socialising with other people, they enjoy talking with others making friends.
Killers: interested in "imposing themselves on others," either through competition, destruction, or helping/teaching other players
Fortnite fits pretty much all of these categories.

7. Audience
Psychographics
Adverts are more likely to be identified using psychographics rather than demographics. People fit into one of five categories or a mix.These
are:
Aspirers: people who want to appear rich and attractive and have a desire for something in life.
Explorers: adventurous people who like talking risks.
Mainstreamers: people who follow the crowd.
Strugglers: people who find it hard to achieve, often in poverty.
Reformers: people who don’t want change, are unimpressed by status and make decisions based on their personal beliefs. Often given up
(reformed) in life, often old people fit into this.
Fortnite fits a few of these categories mainly Explorers and Mainstreamers.

8. Audience
Effects debate
(Against the media) In 1961 Bandura conducted a controlled experiment to prove that the media can effect children in a negative way, the study
was to investigate if social behaviours can be acquired by observation and imitation. Children were exposed to adults attacking a Bobo Doll (giant
inflatable doll) who threw it and attacked it with hammers. Then the children were put into the room with the doll, the children exposed to the
violence copied the behaviour of the adults. This may fit with Fortnite as it is proof towards the “Video games cause violence” debate, there are
many points for and against this howether it is unlikely Fortnite itself would cause violence and there is other factors. Fortnite contains cartoon
violence and weaponry which many people think would lead to violence howether it should be a parents responsibility to monitor what there
child is exposed to and if it is suitable for them to view which can be assisted by the countries rating system e.g PEGI. Video games such as street
fighter have also had this debate over this being even more violent and graphic. Graphics in video games is slowly getting more realistic which
means the violence in them is as well.
(For the media) Blumler and Katz uses and gratifications theory shows that people look at the media for separate reasons. These reasons are
Diversion, Personal Identity, Personal Relationship and Surveillance. Fortnite fits a lot of these categorys, it is a popular video game which became
popular during the global Covid-19 pandemic as it bought friends together it also allows people to be other people, celebrities, heros and animals
through the use of skins.

9. Fortnite information
Collaborations
Epic Games take part in synergetic partnerships with celebritys, movies, brands and other games. These provide benefits to both sides. All
partnerships are listen below
- Marvel - John Wick - DC Comics - HouseParty - Ghostbusters
- Disney (Wreck It Ralph) - Stranger things - Star Wars - Tenet - Lachlan
- NFL - Air Jordan - Ninja - Loserfruit - Lazerbeam (there is actually too many to fit here)
- Nerf - Major Lazer - Travis Scott - Rocket League - Terminator
- Marshmellow - Borderlands 3 - Punk’d - Ghostbusters - Cobra Kai
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are the only thing able to be bought in Fortnite, despite the game being free to play, many people buy these. The concept of
microtransactions are growing in popularity.
Cosmetics allow you to hide who you are and allow you to be whoever or whatever you want adding to the appeal of the game.

10. Fortnite information (website)
What does the website give to the player?
- Gives information to the players
- Earliest access to information
- View updates/trailers
- View exclusive information
- Exclusive events and cosmetics

11. Exam questions
Name the organisation that regulates video games in Europe (2)
Identify 2 different audiences for Fortnite (2)
Briefly explain the impact of regulation on Fortnite (4)
Briefly explain why an audience would want to play Fortnite (4)
Explain the impact of video games on audience. Debate and Uses and gratifications(12)