- The document discusses facts about the development and release of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. It states that the game was developed in 7 studios by over 900 people, was available for pre-order over 6 months before release, and sold over 10 million copies in the first 2 months. It also notes that PETA complained about the game including whaling.

1. True or false?
• The game was developed in 7 different studios
• Over 900 people were involved in the making
of the game
• It was available to pre order more than 6
months before it was released
• In the first 2 months, the game sold over 10
million copies
• Animal Rights Organisation PETA complained
about the game including whaling

2. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on representation of genre
Who is the target audience for this game?
Key words:
Mainstream, niche, primary, secondary, PEGI rating

3. The aim of this study is to explore how the marketing of this
game appealed to it’s audience
• Through representation of genre
• Representation of characters
• Narrative
• Conventions of different marketing materials
• Institution – UBISOFT/PEGI

4. Representation of genre
• Which of these is Assassins Creed IV?
• Action
• Adventure
• Stealth
• Historical
• First person shooter
• Role play
• Open World (roaming freely in a virtual world)

5. Using the genre you have been given:
• You need to find as many reasons as possible
to support this
• Research all marketing materials –
website, trailers, teasers, posters etc to get
evidence
• Make a note of which marketing material the
evidence is from

6. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on representation of genre
To consolidate answer this question in detail:
How was the genre of Assassins Creed IV
represented through the marketing materials?

7. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on representation of characters
Could a female play the lead character in
this game?

8. The aim of this study is to explore how the marketing of this
game appealed to it’s audience
• Through representation of genre
• Representation of characters
• Narrative
• Conventions of different marketing materials
• Institution - UBISOFT

9. Social groupings
How has your social group been represented? Find evidence
• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Class
http://gamewise.
co/games/46266
/Assassins-
Creed-IV-Black-
Flag/Characters-
List - extensive
character list
Anne Bonny, Mary Read

10. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on representation of characters
To consolidate answer this question in detail:
How does the representation of characters
affect the success of the game?

11. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on NARRATIVE
How is the narrative of the story
engaging? – play clip

12. The aim of this study is to explore how the marketing of this
game appealed to it’s audience
• Through representation of genre
• Representation of characters
• Narrative
• Conventions of different marketing materials
• Institution - UBISOFT

13. Narrative terms
• Ludo narrative – interactive scenes
• Cut scenes – non interactive scenes to move the
story forward
• Themes – what ideas are present in the story
• Setting – appeal –
lost, exploration, excitement, adventure…
• Character – (useful, mortal, equipped)
customisation, incarnation, ability, personality, de
ath
• Challenge – difficulty, enemy power, control

14. How is the narrative represented in
the marketing materials?
• Answer these questions to help you answer this
question:
• How are different themes represented? E.g.
pirates, rivalry, naval wars, violence, unexplored
lands…
• How does the setting help tell the story? E.g.
what possibilities do the characters have at sea?
• How do the different characters build the story?
How do they offer different adventures?

15. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on NARRATIVE
To consolidate answer this question in detail:
How does the narrative of Assassins Creed
affect the success of the game?

16. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on CONVENTIONS of different marketing
materials
What are the main conventions of a
trailer?

17. The aim of this study is to explore how the marketing of this
game appealed to it’s audience
• Through representation of genre
• Representation of characters
• Narrative
• Conventions of different marketing materials
• Institution – UBISOFT/PEGI

18. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on CONVENTIONS of different marketing
materials
Character voice over
Soundtrack
Cut scenes
Game play
PEGI rating
Institutional logo
Pack shot (product shot)
Montage editing
Introduction of key
characters, settings and
themes
Analyse two AC trailers
1. What conventions are being used?
2. How do these conventions appeal to
the target audience
3. Compare the two – which trailer is
most successful and why

19. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on CONVENTIONS of different marketing
materials
Is a trailer the MOST SUCCESSFUL means
of promoting a game?

20. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on INSTITUTION
Which PEGI rating and theme would you pair
together to attract the widest audience?

21. The aim of this study is to explore how the marketing of this
game appealed to it’s audience
• Through representation of genre
• Representation of characters
• Narrative
• Conventions of different marketing materials
• Institution – UBISOFT/PEGI

22. UBISOFT
• Produced the Assassins Creed franchise
• Go to the UBISOFT website – how many other
games do they have in the same genre/PEGI
rating? (you can use the tabs in the middle of the
website for quick research)
• EXT: What are the similarities and differences
between these games and the Assassins Creed
franchise?

23. LO: To analyse Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag through the key
media concepts and explore it’s success as a marketing campaign
TODAY our focus is on INSTITUTION
How can the institution (UBISOFT) and the PEGI
rating be effective in marketing a game?