What is it?In short, it is a high-profile subscription service that will feature games funded by Apple. But it is also more than that, as shown by the fact that this subscription service will feature games by manufacturers including but not excluding Square Enix, SEGA and Konami. It will feature many well-known games like Frogger (by Konami) and Rayman (by Ubisoft). By having these familiar names, Apple hopes it will draw in people to get them, and for Apple to make money. It will be much cheaper than other subscription services like Ubisoft's UPlay, but will still feature many potential problems like in-app purchases. My thoughts on itAlthough Apple's new Arcade subscription service may seem innocent at first, it promotes apps that have numerous in-app purchases. Apple's support of this is evident in an article by Wired.com which states "Take a quick look at the top-performing apps in the App Store. Each of the top 50 grossing games has in-app purchases. Forty-one of the 50 most downloaded free games have them. Even among games that you pay up front for—anywhere from $1 to $8—37 of the top 50 will still pester you for more money as you play.". This shows that by letting these apps stay on their store, they are supporting this aggressive marketing. To sum it up, Apple's new subscription service will only exacerbate an already growing problem today. To sum it up...
ReferencesBarrett, Brian. “How Apple Arcade Will Reshape Mobile Gaming.” Wired, Conde Nast, 20 Sept. 2019, www.wired.com/story/apple-arcade-reshape-mobile-gaming/.
Shanley, Patrick. “Apple Takes Big Swing at Gaming as Subscription Service Arcade Launches.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Sept. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apple-arcade-a-primer-tech-giants-new-gaming-service-1240401.
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So what is the contraversy?In many video games, there are "chance boxes" that have highly valuable loot inside them. Since people largely do not know what is inside their loot box until they open it, critics have argued that this is digital gambling. In addition, like gambling, it causes some players to spend hundreds if not thousands on the chance boxes to get the loot. Also, critics argue that playing these video games with online transactions for chance boxes could normalize gambling. However, many countries take the side of the video game companies and unlike the Netherlands and Belgium, who have instituted bans and constraints on these features. My thoughts on this contraversyWhile video game companies insist that they have done nothing wrong, video games tend to market gambling to younger audiences. This is shown by an excerpt from a report done by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the House of Commons which states "31% of 11–16 year olds have paid money or used in-game items to open loot boxes… the link between loot box spending and problem gambling among adolescents was more than twice as strong as the relationship observed in adults.”. This shows that micro-transactions for loot boxes are akin to real world gambling. In an article by FirstPost.com, it is stated, "...game makers were engaged in creating carefully crafted products, designed to subtly manipulate people into feeling compelled to spend money on post-purchase transactions, while shouldering no responsibility to ensure that adequate safety systems such as daily or hourly spending limits were implemented to prevent accidental or compulsive overspending...". This shows that some of the major companies are deceiving us about digital gambling. To sum it up...
References“With Gambling Mechanics in Video Games under Investigation in the UK, Is the Day of Reckoning Finally upon the Industry?- Technology News, Firstpost.” Tech2, 15 Sept. 2019, www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/with-gambling-mechanics-in-video-games-under-investigation-in-the-uk-is-the-day-of-reckoning-finally-upon-the-industry-7339861.html.
About Digital PortfoliosDigital portfolios are a digital time capsule into all the work that you have done that relate to the job that you are applying to. They can showcase the amount of work that one has done to try to sell their skillset to the given job. As asserted by Neil Druckmann, a Carnegie Mellon alumni and a Creative Director for Naughty Dog, "...we place more emphasis on a candidate's portfolio than the pedigree of their school. That's why it's important for a student to maintain and update their portfolio with their latest and greatest work.". This shows that portfolios are something that is a good idea to keep up to date with your best work to get into your desired job. To sum it up, Digital Portfolios are a very important piece to show when you are appplying for a job. Why they are so important...Digital Portfolios are very important because they showcase what you have already done and how that shows possible qualification for your job. This is proven by Neil Druckmann who states "we place more emphasis on a candidate's portfolio than the pedigree of their school." This shows that even if you go to a really "good" digital arts program at a given school or if you are in a less-known digital arts program, that is not the most important thing, which is instead your digital portfolio. Overall, digital portfolios are the most important thing that you should use when you are applying for a field within the digital arts. To sum it up...
References“Your Game Portfolio Is Your Greatest Asset.” GamesIndustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-04-30-your-game-portfolio-is-your-greatest-asset.
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AuthorHello my name is Owen Howard. I am a junior currently enrolled at Durham School of the Arts and this blog will document my experiences in this class. Categories
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