Why “case studies”?

1. Why “case studies”? • Because in your exam, you are very likely to have a question like this: • There are lots of ways to market video games. The best campaigns: • Appeal to a specific target audience group • Use all three media platforms to get their message across (print, broadcast and web) • Use different strategies pre- and post-release • From your research on video game marketing and promotion, explain how each of these can contribute to the success of a campaign. Give examples from at least TWO campaigns that you have looked at. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

2. GCSE Media Studies – Summer exam 2014: The Promotion and Marketing of Video Games Case Study #3: FIFA

3. Logo LANGTON - MARCH 2014

4. Peter Moore – President of EA sports LANGTON - MARCH 2014

5. FIFA video games • The FIFA series of football simulations is one of the most successful video games in the World. • It is the most integrated of the three games that we have looked at for several reasons: • It features real people • It has the support of the sport’s governing body • It taps into a huge supporter fan base • It can use real players for celebrity endorsement • Sometimes it can be difficult to see where the “gaming world” ends and the “real football world” starts. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

6. Why is it successful? • The FIFA series is hugely successful because it uses a variety of marketing techniques to keep it at the top of the games charts: • PRINT:advertising and magazine articles featuring sponsored players and events. • BROADCAST:sponsorship of football leagues around the World – the name of the publisher is always visible during matches / sponsorship of top international players. • WEB-BASED:a fully integrated publisher webpage which uses downloads, news and forums to keep its customers up to date. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

7. FIFA video game series • Type of game: sports simulation • Developer:ea sports • Publisher: Electronic Arts • First published: July 1993 • Platforms: the present game is available for PC, consoles and handhelds. The original game was only available for PCs and consoles. • Sales to date: 100 million+ LANGTON - MARCH 2014

8. History • When first published, there was little competition in this market, so the game quickly captured a large player-base. • Electronic Arts publish very successful simulation games for American Football and Ice Hockey in a similar format, based on the success of FIFA. • FIFA was one of the first video games to get an official licence from the governing body of the sport and this has proved to be a very successful (financial) partnership. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

9. Global FIFA • The current version of the game FIFA 14 features full leagues from: the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, the USA, South Korea and Australia. • It also includes selected teams from: Greece, Turkey, Argentina and South Africa. • The global nature of the teams featured gives a good indication of where the game sells best. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

10. Getting ready for the World Cup LANGTON - MARCH 2014

11. Special Editions • As well as domestic leagues in many countries, the FIFA series also produces special editions: • FIFA World Cup – 1998-2014 • UEFA European Football Championship – 2000-12 • UEFA Champions League • “Street Football” – FIFA Street – 2005 -12 • And a series of Football Managersims: • FA Premier Manager • Total Club Manager • FIFA Manager – 2003-14 LANGTON - MARCH 2014

12. International marketing • The FIFA series is available in • 18 languages and • 51 countries. • Sales of over 100 million copies put it near the top of the all-time best-selling video games list. • FIFA 12 holds the record for the “fastest selling sports game ever” having sold 3.3 million copies and having generated $186 million in its first week of release. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

13. Fast selling LANGTON - MARCH 2014

14. Screenshots LANGTON - MARCH 2014

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20. Milestones in development - 1 • 1993 – first launched and stayed at Number 1 in the games charts for six months. • 1996 – first use of real player names and their positions. • 1997 – first use of “motion-capture” action. • 1998 – first use of licenced music artists (Song 2 by Blur) / first accurate representation of the off-side rule. • 2003 – first use of “Freestyle control” allowing tricks / first use of EA Trax – exclusive music menu LANGTON - MARCH 2014

21. Milestones in development - 2 • 2004 – first appearance of selected secondary leagues / first use of an “online” gaming option. • 2006 – complete overhaul of the game – game code almost entirely rewritten / first appearance of a Classic XI featuring football legends. • 2008 – “Be a Pro” option first used – controls only a single player on the pitch. • 2010 - 360° player control • 2012 – game adapted for iPhone, iPad and iPod • 2014 – EA Sports Football Club – rewards and challenges LANGTON - MARCH 2014

22. Criticism • Criticism of the game has come in the fact that some editions of the game have only very small changes and yet (like football team shirts), often players feel the need to buy the new edition every year. • ea sports maintain that they have a long history of continuous improvement each year and that every version of the game is better than the last. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

23. EA Trax – music licencing • Ever since music was first licenced for FIFA 98, artists have been falling over themselves to get their music featured on the soundtracks of the game. • Artists who have contributed the main themes have included: Kasabian, The Crystal Method, Muse, Linkin Park, Kings of Leon, Bloc Party, Oasis, Fatboy Slim, Blur, Robbie Williams, Moby and Gorillaz LANGTON - MARCH 2014

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26. Endorsement • Wayne Rooney was the “face of FIFA” from FIFA 06 to FIFA 12. • Lionel Messireplaced Rooney and has been the featured player for the last two editions. • ea “stole” Messi from Pro-Evolution Soccer – ea’s closest rival. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

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28. ea sports homepage LANGTON - MARCH 2014

29. Buying from the website LANGTON - MARCH 2014

30. Products / platforms LANGTON - MARCH 2014

31. Gaming and competition news LANGTON - MARCH 2014

32. Forums LANGTON - MARCH 2014

33. On the road promotion LANGTON - MARCH 2014

34. FIFA 12 VIP box An all white, high gloss wooden box. As fancy as it looks, the real “awe” comes when the box is opened up. Inside lucky owners will find the PlayStation 3 version of FIFA 12, a custom gold painted soccer ball, a PlayStation Portable system, a pair of Beats by Dre headphones, and a custom engraved iPad. This limited edition kit is allotted to the celebrities like Dwayne Wade, Landon Donovan, Wayne Rooney, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant Tim Lincecuum, Brian Wilson, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Wayne. LANGTON - MARCH 2014

35. “I know, let’s get some footballers to sell it for us…” LANGTON - MARCH 2014

36. “Sleb endorsed” LANGTON - MARCH 2014

37. Referee sponsorship??? LANGTON - MARCH 2014

38. Why no women? Vero Boquete (a female Spanish professional footballer) has campaigned online for the introduction of women players into the FIFA series. LANGTON - MARCH 2014