Introduction
Presently, video games can be considered huge contributors to the world economy. The budgets of some digital games can exceed hundreds of millions of dollars. For instance, one of the most expensive games is “Grand Theft Auto 5” developed by Rockstar. According to Villapaz (2013), its creation and marketing cost was estimated at 256 million dollars. The game was exceptionally well met by critics and audience and stays popular even today.
On the other hand, there are games such as “APB: All Point Bulletins” with a total budget of over 100 million dollars which received only 56% on the popular gaming review agency, Metacritic (“APB (All Points Bulletin),” n.d.). Both games were developed by experienced professionals, but the results seem to be different. Such considerations invoke the idea of the relevance of spendings for the quality of the product as well as market reaction. In light of this notion, there arises a question: can a large budget be a solid predictor of a game’s quality and user’s perception?
Rationale
The relevance of this question resides with the fact that the gaming industry is full of rather unpopular games created by small studios. If the research could shed light on the link between cost and reception, then probably there may form a tendency to allocate massive investments with prospective projects. In terms of social influence, the answer to the proposed question may add another factor to consider to buyers’ selection process. In addition, this research may be interesting because of the value games create and the influence they produce on gamers. Marchand and Hennig-Thurau (2013) argue that the properties of the user network are, to a certain degree, connected with the game quality itself.
A rare game, except mass-multiplayer ones, has a pre-formed community, and the launching of a well-developed project seems to form a solid fan base. Yet, the authors mention that this topic is not supported by high-quality research (Marchand & Hennig-Thurau, 2013). In light of this the current study question, if answered, could provide insight into how the number of resources spent on the game contributes to the formation of such a community.
The sphere of research devoted to games is to a large extent undeveloped or concentrated on the negative effects of games on the individual’s personality (Marchand & Hennig-Thurau, 2013). The insufficiency of high-quality research undermines the adequate perception of games as a scientific and social phenomenon as well as an integral part of the digital content. Thus, there is a need for diversification of the research, and exploration of video games from a variety of angles implementing a mixed socioeconomic and psychological approach.
Status
The research is currently in the planning phase where relevant supportive materials are being identified reviewed. The materials include peer-reviewed research articles, trusted and well-known websites, newspapers, and books. The desirable information that those sources would hopefully contain includes statistical data on game development budgets, reviews, and public reception. The expected outcome of the study is the qualitative expression of the relationship between the cost, quality, and appraisal.
On a global scale, the research would conceivably allow us to understand what contributes to the production of an excellent game and what mechanisms form and influence society’s perceptions. The proposed thesis statement is as follows: despite the fact that not all games with many resources manage to conquer the market, the game development budget positively influences the product’s quality and audience perceptions because the increased spendings often allow hiring higher-grade professionals.
References
APB (All Points Bulletin). (n.d.). Web.
Marchand, A., & Hennig-Thurau, T. (2013). Value creation in the video game industry: Industry economics, consumer benefits, and research opportunities. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 27(3), 141-157.
Villapaz, L. (2013). “GTA 5” costs $265 million to develop and market, making it the most expensive video game ever produced: Report. International Business Times. Web.