Some basic terminology to get you started

1. Institutions and Audiences
OCR Media Studies

2. Some terminology
There are a number of institutions working
together in the videogames industry and we
may not realise the work that goes into the
game on the shelf.

3. Platform Holders
• Platform holders
manufacture the hardware
on which videogames run.
The three main companies at
present are Sony who
manufacture the PlayStation
series, Microsoft who
produce the Xbox series, and
Nintendo who produce the
Wii, GameCube, Game Boy
and Nintendo DS.

4. Developers
• The teams that create the
videogames (the software that runs
on consoles, PCs and handhelds).
• Developers may be ‘first party’
(directly owned by a platform
holder),
• ‘second party’ where there is some
platform holder support or funding,
or
• ‘third party’ who are unaffiliated
with the platform holder.

5. Publishers
• Publishers provide money and
support for the development teams
who create videogames.
• Ubisoft and SCI (incorporating Eidos)
in the UK, as well as Sony Computer
Entertainment, Microsoft, Nintendo
and Electronic Arts are among the
larger videogame publishers.

6. Distributors
and Retailers
• The role of the distributor is to get
videogames to retailers in order to sell
to consumers. As the majority of
videogames are currently distributed
in physical form (ie on CD, DVD or
cartridge), this means getting game
boxes onto retailers’ shelves or to
warehouses.
• However, recent moves within the
industry have pointed to the increased
use of digital distribution with extra
levels or even whole games being
downloadable. (DLC = Downloadable
Content)

7. Think of any game you might have
played
• Find out the following and post it as a Blogpost if
you’ve set it up, otherwise paper is fine.
• Game title: (Include an image of the coverart)
• Available on what platform holders:
• Developer:
• Publisher:
• How much did it cost to make?
• How is it distributed – physical? Digital? Where
could you get it from? Price?

8. Crazy Taxi
• Game title: Crazy Taxi
• Available on what platform holders: Originally in
arcades, then ported to Dreamcast (2000), then PS2,
Gamecube, Windows PCs then Xbox Live Arcade in
2010
• Developer: Hitmaker, then Sega Studios developed the
PS3 and Xbox 360 ports
• Publisher: Sega
• How much did it cost to make?
• How is it distributed – physical? Digital? Where could
you get it from? Price? CD/DVD Roms, Digital
download, cloud computing – Available in shops,
online retail, Xbox Live Marketplace for XBLA game

9. For homework/if you finish this
exercise, then try and find out about
the institutions behind Grand Theft
Auto 4
• Find out the following and post it as a Blogpost
if you’ve set it up, otherwise paper is fine.
• Game title: (Include an image of the coverart)
• Available on what platform holders:
• Developer:
• Publisher:
• How much did it cost to make?
• How is it distributed – physical? Digital? Where
could you get it from? Price?