Abstract
This article considers players’ experiences seeking out new games to play, and their use of the Australian National Classification Scheme in doing so. The global video game industry is booming, with hundreds of games being released each month across numerous platforms. As a result, players have an unprecedented number of games available when choosing what games to purchase. However, a number of confounding issues around the emergent content of games and the subjective nature of game reviewing makes it difficult to relate what kinds of experiences a given game will facilitate. In this study, we surveyed game players in order to find their game platform and acquisition preferences; strategies and experiences when choosing games; and attitudes towards classification systems. Our findings suggest that players find it difficult to choose what games to purchase, and that existing classification systems are mostly only beneficial when choosing games for minors.
Highlights
It is well-known that the video game industry is growing rapidly and has surpassed the film industry on numerous fronts
The purpose of the present study was to collect data to better understand the digital game selection process and determine what role a current national classification system plays in this process
In regard to our second research question, while we find evidence that the game selection process is largely a positive experience, the adoption of varied selection strategies can be onerous and complicated to navigate, as supported by the 40% of participants who agreed that choosing a game is time consuming
Summary
It is well-known that the video game industry is growing rapidly and has surpassed the film industry on numerous fronts. There have been several high-profile cases of deceptive marketing practices where game companies have failed to deliver on content and features (e.g., smooth performance) promised during game development. . .thousands of dollars to post positive gameplay videos [of Shadow of Mordor] on YouTube and social media” [10] Because of these issues, players often lack trust in reviews as a guide for game choice, when it comes to big budget AAA releases. Players often lack trust in reviews as a guide for game choice, when it comes to big budget AAA releases In this case National Classification Systems may help players understand the content of games because they are free from commercial bias
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