BTEC IT - Unit 8, learning aim A / Assignment 1 (DISTINCTION)
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Course
Unit 8 - Computer Games Development
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
This is a completed assignment for BTEC IT. This is assignment 1 for Unit 8 Computer Games Development (Learning aim A). This document was achieved to a distinction standard and includes a reference of sites used.
It is broken down into sections so that it is easier to see where the merit and d...
Popular genres
Most bought games:
In recent years the genres for games have expanded, going from simple 2D arcade style games to an
improvement in graphics. These days, game genres include:
FPS (first person shooter)
The player plays in “first person”, through the eyes of the player and generally carries a weapon such
as a gun to fight through different levels, stories and game modes. Real world examples of some
shooter games are Valorant, Counter-Strike: Global offensive and Overwatch 2.
MMO (massively multiplayer online)
As suggested in the name, MMO games are online games that all players from around the world can
play at the same time when they are online, and on the same server. Examples of these kinds of games
include League of Legends, Elder scrolls online and RuneScape.
Adventure games
Adventure games are ones that are heavily story-driven explanation based or involve puzzle solving,
where the player is the main character and must progress through to the end of the game. An example
of these kinds of games are Read Dead Redemption II, The Walking Dead and Marvel’s Spider-Man.
A common link between these games is the fact that they are able to be played online. However, the
most popular game genres of 2023 are said to be action-adventure games [1]. In these sorts of games,
players experience exploration paired with puzzle-solving and even combat. Examples of some of the
biggest action-adventure games of 2023 are the legend of Zelda: Tears of the kingdom and Marvel’s
Spider-Man 2 which has recently been released for the PlayStation 5.
Most profitable:
To no surprise, the most popular and most profitable game of 2023 so far is “The legend of Zelda:
Tears of the kingdom” [2]. This game belongs to the legend of Zelda series created by Nintendo, in
which all the games are open world action-adventure games and was a highly anticipated sequel to the
2017 game The legend of Zelda: Breath of the wild. Not only has this become the best-selling game of
2023 with more than 10 million copies sold in the first three days upon release [2], but it has also
become the best-selling game for the Nintendo switch. Aside from its anticipation, another key factor
contributing to the game’s success in profits was due to the developers releasing different editions of
the game (the standard costing $70 but the deluxe at $130 [2]), as well as the game being exclusive to
the Nintendo switch console. The Legend of Zelda series has spanned over three decades and many
fans may have grown up with the series, so they anticipate a new release. The nostalgia that they
experience creates a large and loyal fanbase as a result, which contributes to their success.
Critical reviews:
As it has been labelled as the most profitable video game of 2023, to no doubt will there be a large
number of reviews. On multiple sources ([3], [4]) the game has been rated highly, with emphasis on
its improved mechanics in comparison to its predecessor and its hours of gameplay content that has
been put in. Reviewers have stated that they feel as if despite finishing the main storyline of the game,
there is still a lot that they have yet to achieve. These reviews imply that the developers (Nintendo)
, Unit 8 - Computer Games Development Assignment 1
have successfully taken previous criticisms and improved on their flaws to make the game better than
any previous Zelda game they have created.
Longevity:
The longevity of a game refers to how long it continues to have an active player base and community.
With Zelda, it is said that the main storyline is set to have around 59 hours of content. Completing the
main storyline with additional content is said to take around 118 hours on average, which is a
considerable amount of time in comparison to just the main storyline. For someone attempting to
complete 100% of the game, this is averaged to about 242 hours of gameplay [5].
Developers may create their games with the intention of retaining user attention for as long as
possible so that they are able to make even more money off in-game purchases that will allow them to
progress faster. Successful examples include Minecraft and Grand theft auto V. The success behind
Minecraft’s longevity comes from the concept of the game and its unique gameplay. There is no set
storyline in the game, but instead users have an open and endless world to explore, build and express
their creativity through building. A key reason to the longevity of both games is the active
development that they still receive a decade since release, which helps to keep a game engaging and
fresh so that users can continue to try new things in the game. Despite having a main storyline, GTA
V’s gameplay is also unique. This is because it is highly immersive and reflects real world actions
such as driving or handling weapons, and the developers Rockstar games have made it engaging. Both
games also include online gameplay which can be considered as another key factor as players are now
able to utilise the unique mechanics and gameplay of each game in a collaborative way with others
Trends in gaming history:
In the context of trends of gaming and its history, there have been changes in the platforms that these
popular game genres have been played on.
When video games were new and introduced to the world, home computer games had gained
popularity until 1983, which is known as the “video game crash” [6]. This was due to the
oversaturation and poor quality of these games until the 1990s, in which console gaming had begun to
emerge following the introduction of the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1. Console gaming became the
norm and saw major developments in the early 2000s. This marked the beginning of the rivalry
between Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox.
From the late 2000s onwards, the development of smartphones shifted the accessibility of games as
developers were able to create and distribute games to a larger audience, with speculations back then
that mobile gaming may put console gaming out of business.
This was not the case however, due to mobile games not being appealing to all kinds of audiences.
Although mobile gaming these days still has a lot of recognition, consoles and computer gaming make
up a large majority of players and developer interests.
Although genres have expanded, the attention gathered towards specific types of genres have changed
over the years. To put this into perspective, we can look at some of the most popular games from the
early 2000s (during the time of the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox) compared to some of the most
popular games in 2022.
In the earlier years, the 5 most popular games of all time were listed as [7]:
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Open world)
2. The Sims (Social simulation)
3. Deus Ex (First person shooter)
4. Halo: Combat evolved (First person shooter)
5. Metal Gear 2: Sons of Liberty (Shooter)
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