Gaming and Hybrid Platforms

Stephan Dahl

Early Video Games

• One year after the ‘first computer’, the ‘first videogame’ was developed by Alan Touring

• 1951: the first dedicated computer for gaming was developed

• 1960s: ideas of ‘video games consoles’ emerge

• 1970s: the first mass-produced games

MUD, Second Life and Virtual Worlds

Many games focused on recreating ‘reality’• MUD = Multi User Dungeon

Early text-based ‘virtual worlds’ developed at the University of Essex (1978)

Continuing Realism

After MUD, increasingly ‘realistic’ worlds, allowing interaction with other online players:

• e.g. CompuServe’s WorldsAway (1995)

• SecondLife (2003) became the first large-scale ‘virtual world’ including own currency, economy etc

In-game Advertising

• Product and brand placements in games:– Branded storefronts– Advertising boards on football pitches– Sometimes integral game components

Advergames

• Hybrid between advertising and a game:– Products and brands are mostly integral part of the

game– Purchases may enhance game experience (new

levels etc.)

• IGA and Advergames popular with advertisers, as games are played over and over again

• But also often linked to unhealthy food items

Four Theoretical Concepts

• Social Cognitive Learning• Persuasion Knowledge (see previous)• Limited-capacity Model of Motivated

Mediated Message Processing (L4MP)• Flow

Social Cognitive Learning

• Social Cognitive Learning explains how humans learn through observing others.

• Based on Social Learning Theory• Complements Social Contagion Theory

L4MP

• Assumes limited cognitive capacity • Attention is divided between primary (playing the

game) and secondary tasks (brand recognition)• When at capacity, new cognitive processes

cannot be started– E.g. activation of persuasion knowledge

• Debate whether it is best to have incongruent placements in games (second task becomes prominent) – or not (non-activation of persuasion knowledge)

Flow

• Flow is a mental state where full immersion occurs

• Results are:– Feeling in complete control – Enjoyment

• During flow brand recall is lowered – but brand attitudes are affected positively!

Gamification

• Gamification brings game-like aspects to consumption experiences

Two main strategies:• Rewarding completion of tasks• Competing with friends