Games Consoles

Brands / Companies

• Sony
• Microsoft
• Nintendo

Sandbox Game

• Construction game.
• Minecraft teaches cooperation, team building skills.
• Also teaches programming skills.

There are dangers of some video games e.g. GTA expose children to violent and offensive material. 

External companies e.g. 'Rockstar' sell their games to companies like Sony so its not exclusive to one console.

Platforms

• Broadcast - TV, online, film.
• Online
• Print
• (some games are multiplatform e.g. minecraft on console, PC and apps).

Intro To Minecraft

• Minecraft developed from a basic online Lego game. 
• Now a massive multi platform game, play on different consoles as well as books and merchandise. 
• Open sandbox, multiplayer. 
• Started as 'indie' game, (independent) bought by Microsoft for 2.5 billion 2014.
• Critically and commercially successful.
• Independent to mainstream - sold 125 million copies sold in 2017.
• Created Marcus 'notch' Perrson and developed by Mojang. 
• These were independent, separate and not influenced by a big company. 
• As small independent products become successful, usually larger companies / owners want to buy them. 

Reasons for success

• Sandbox, infinite replay-ability. 
• Platform agnostic (play on any platform).
• Co-opted by children, made a household name. 
• Fulfills human purpose to bring order to chaotic wilderness. 
• Strong social community, share ideas, open worlds as well as java code sharing so players can view each others modify worlds. 
• No genre.