Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is an action-adventure video game that is an action-adventure game that was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and then published in 2013 by Ubisoft. The game is the franchise’s sixth major installment within the Assassin’s Creed series as it chronologically follows Assassin’s Creed III in storyline. Black Flag is set from 1715-1722 during the Golden Age of Piracy in the West Indies. It follows a Welsh pirate Edward Kenway who is father of antagonist Haytham Kenway and also happens to be the grandfather of the main protagonist, Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor, from the Assassin’s Creed III game. The player follows Kenway on his quest for fortune and the hidden mythical location of Observatory which is desired by both Assassin’s and Templars. A worthy mentioned plot element is the attempted establishment of an independent Pirate Republic found located in the Caribbean. Unlike other games within the Assassin’s Creed franchise, the gameplay elements of Black Flag heavily focus on a ship-based exploration amongst the open world map as well as third-person land-based exploration. The game also undergoes a relocation to the shores of the Caribbean islands which departs it from any similarities of the series’ past.
The standard PEGI age rating of Black Flag is 18+ which would make the preferred audience targeted at older teens to adults (18-30), it was given this rating due to its high levels of intense violence, strong language and mature themes. Generally, the game could be seen as targeted towards the male audience due to the fact that majority of the characters are male; however, there are a few female characters featured within Black Flag, but they are not playable characters. Based off of Maslow’s 4C’s you could describe a typical Assassin’s Creed fan as The Succeeder as these people have strong goal orientation, they also seek reward and prestige which are all desired traits and key factors when playing video games. Nevertheless, Black Flag also captures a specific secondary audience that can be referred to as The Explorer, these people are driven by the need for discovery and challenge. They also lust for new frontiers which is ideal for Black Flag as it contains unique elements in comparison to previous games within the Assassin's Creed series. The Explorer also responds well to brands that offer indulgence, immersion, and new sensations which is exactly what Assassin’s Creed does.
The estimated budget for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was around $100 million USD; this is unofficial as Ubisoft never fully disclosed what the official overall budget was. Black Flag was developed by the company Ubisoft, French video game developer Ubisoft Entertainment SA has development studios all around the world and its main office is in Saint-Mandé. In 1986, the five Guillemot brothers established Ubisoft to produce and market video games globally after spotting a growth potential in the expanding software development industry. Ubisoft's initial creative output, such as the home computer game Zombi, and the popular platformer Rayman from the 1990s, laid the foundation for the company's success. Today, Ubisoft employs more than 21,000 people across 45 studios, creating a varied global team that enables us to delight gamers of all skill levels from across the world. Ubisoft has a game library of over 20 titles that include infamous games such as, Assassin’s Creed, Star Wars Outlaws, Just Dance 2024, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Far Cry 5 and many, many more. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag director Ashraf Ismail disclosed that 900 people worked on the game. It was developed in under two years, beginning in the summer of 2011, which is remarkably shorter than the third game's production time of little under a thousand years. The game was published during a period when open world games, like Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto V, were becoming more and more popular, which is why it sold 15 million copies. Black Flag's distinct fusion of historical fiction and action-adventure gameplay was what really set it apart. It was now more about the excitement of exploring new locations, navigating vast waters, and taking part in thrilling naval combat than it was about carrying out covert executions. Both ardent franchise fans and anyone lured to the allure of pirates were captivated by the game's setting and gameplay features, which were a breath of fresh air. Assassin's Creed Black Flag offered something fresh and thrilling to the gaming scene of its day. It gave players the opportunity to delve into a lively, realistic environment replete with both fictitious and historical allusions. The game's popularity and distinct appeal showed how receptive the market was. The publisher of the game, Ubisoft, made use of the game's distinctive features to market it to the gaming public. They concentrated on highlighting the game's breathtaking graphics, captivating open-world gameplay, and exhilarating pirate experience.
With its intense violence and compulsive action, the game was marketed similarly to earlier Assassin's Creed games. On the other hand, the game's trailers presented the plot as having a far larger role in the game. Epic trailers and gameplay clips showcasing the game's breathtaking graphics, fierce naval combat, and the Caribbean's wide-open environment was published. These movies took viewers on a virtual journey across the high seas, giving them a taste of the immersive experience they could anticipate. Additionally, Ubisoft made use of social media channels to interact with the Assassin's Creed community and share updates, behind-the-scenes videos, and sneak peaks of the game's progress. By teasing upcoming features and disclosing information about the plot, characters, and gameplay mechanics, they generated anticipation. Furthermore, in order to promote the game, Ubisoft collaborated with a number of influencers and media sources. To provide gamers with an opportunity to experience the game directly and spread their enthusiasm to others, they arranged events, interviews, and hands-on demos. To market Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft also created a number of territory-specific advertising campaigns. For example, they created distinctive advertising trailers for Australia, Japan, and England that appealed to viewers worldwide by utilising local mise en scène and audience relatability.
There were so many fascinating features in the Assassin's Creed Black Flag Defy clip. The trailer's ability to immerse viewers in the exciting world of pirates was one of its key draws. Gamers were quickly drawn in by the immersive experience that was produced by the combination of amazing visuals, thrilling action scenes, and a mesmerising musical composition. Unlike previous Assassin's Creed games, the Golden Age of Piracy serves as the game's unique setting, as the trailer demonstrated. This shift in location gave the franchise a novel and thrilling twist that drew in both seasoned viewers and those who were eager to take on the high seas as pirate-assassins. The smooth incorporation of naval warfare was another distinctive feature of the Defy teaser. Epic ship battles were shown in the teaser, showcasing the game's unique gameplay features and the opportunity to explore the huge open world on your own pirate ship. Assassin's Creed Black Flag stood out from other games in the franchise and the larger gaming community thanks to this extra degree of gameplay depth. The captivating story of the game and the protagonist's adventure as a pirate-assassin were also highlighted in the teaser. It hinted at the rivalry between the Templars and Assassins in the pirate society, introducing a fascinating narrative element that would hold players' attention throughout their journey.
One example of social media marketing for Assassin's Creed Black Flag was the use of Twitter. Ubisoft created an official Twitter account for the game (@AssassinsCreed) and regularly posted updates, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content. They also encouraged fans to join the conversation using hashtags like #ACBlackFlag, allowing gamers to connect and share their excitement for the game. Another example is the use of Facebook. Ubisoft leveraged their official Assassin's Creed Facebook page to share exclusive content, including character reveals, gameplay snippets, and interactive posts. They encouraged fans to like, comment, and share the posts to spread the word about the game. Ubisoft also utilized YouTube, a popular platform for video game marketing. They released captivating trailers, developer diaries, and gameplay videos on their official Assassin's Creed YouTube channel. These videos were widely shared and generated buzz among gamers, building anticipation for the game's release. Ubisoft used synergy in the marketing of Assassin's Creed Black Flag by connecting the game's storyline with a novel, creating action figures, and offering merchandise. This enhanced the overall gaming experience and expanded the reach of the game's marketing.
The appeals of Assassin's Creed Black Flag specifically cater to the interests and preferences of its target audience. Fans of the Assassin's Creed series are drawn to the game's unique blend of historical fiction, action, and stealth gameplay. Black Flag takes it a step further by introducing the pirate theme, which adds an exciting and adventurous element to the experience. The open-world exploration, naval combat, and the ability to live out the life of a pirate resonate with the interests of the target audience. It offers them a chance to immerse themselves in a thrilling and immersive world where they can fulfil their fantasies of being a pirate. So, the game's appeals directly align with what the target audience finds exciting and engaging. Assassin's Creed Black Flag has several appeals for its target audience. The game offers a vast open world to explore, immersive naval combat, and the opportunity to live out the life of a pirate. Players can engage in thrilling ship battles, discover hidden treasures, and experience the rich historical setting. The game also features a captivating storyline and a seamless blend of action, adventure, and stealth gameplay.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag was a commercial success, grossing over $730 million in worldwide sales. It was one of the best-selling games in the Assassin's Creed series. The game's popularity and positive reception contributed to its financial success. Black Flag received several awards and nominations. It won the BAFTA Games Award for Best British Game and was nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards. It also won awards for its gameplay, story, and visuals from various gaming publications and organizations. The game's success was recognized and celebrated within the gaming industry.
The audience response to Black Flag was overwhelmingly positive. Players praised the game's expansive open world, engaging naval combat, and immersive pirate-themed gameplay. Many enjoyed the seamless blend of action, adventure, and stealth, as well as the captivating storyline. The game's attention to detail in recreating the historical setting of the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy was also well-received. Overall, fans of the series and newcomers alike found Assassin's Creed Black Flag to be a thrilling and enjoyable gaming experience. Some popular gaming forums where fans discussed the game include Reddit, Game FAQs, and Ubisoft's own official forums. These forums provided a space for players to share their experiences, discuss gameplay mechanics, and engage in conversations about the game's story and characters. The response from professional critics to Assassin's Creed Black Flag was highly positive! The game received favourable reviews from numerous gaming publications and websites. Critics praised its immersive open world, engaging gameplay mechanics, and captivating story. The game’s graphics, sound, design and attention to historical detail were particularly praised.
Twitch TV is a popular online platform where people can watch and stream live video game broadcasts. It's like a virtual hub for gamers and gaming enthusiasts to connect, share, and enjoy gaming content. You can find a wide variety of gaming streams, including gameplay, tournaments, and even creative content.
Fans even take the Assassin’s Creed franchise and create their own content inspired by the games.
One major advantage of the games franchise model is the opportunity for developers to build a strong and recognizable brand. By releasing multiple games under the Assassin's Creed franchise, Ubisoft was able to establish a loyal fan base and create a sense of anticipation for each new installment. This helps to generate excitement and keep players engaged in the series. For gamers, the franchise model offers a chance to explore and immerse themselves in a rich and expansive game universe. With each new game, players can delve deeper into the story, characters, and lore of the Assassin's Creed world. This provides a sense of continuity and allows players to form a connection with the franchise over time. Another benefit is the ability to refine and improve the gameplay experience. With each new game, developers have the opportunity to learn from previous iterations and incorporate player feedback. This iterative process can lead to enhancements in gameplay mechanics, graphics, and overall polish, resulting in a more enjoyable and immersive experience for players. Additionally, the franchise model allows for the expansion of the game's universe. By introducing new settings, time periods, and characters, Ubisoft can keep the franchise fresh and exciting. This variety keeps players engaged and offers new adventures within the established Assassin's Creed world.
Application of theory-
Audiences:
Albert Bandura discusses the idea that media products implant ideas into the minds of its audience influencing the audience to aquire certain attitudes and relay what they see in media productions into their everyday lives. Bandura suggests that the media represents transgressive behaviour including violence and physical aggression that can promote audience members to imitate these forms of behaviour. Assassins Creed Black Flag contains many mature and dark themes and ahs a heavy portrayal of violence and morally questionable choices. The game's moral choices presented to players and the decisions they make in the game, such as whether to spare or kill a character, can reflect their moral values. This can potentially influence their real-life decision-making and how they perceive right and wrong. Black Flag received a PEGI age rating of 18+ due to it's vicious combat and adult language which deemed it suitable only for older players. Although the game is rated 18+ it is more common in modern society to see younger children playing video games that are not determined age appropriate. Children are more likely that adults to pick up attitudes and behaviours so this trend of children under the age rating playing violent games could be the main cause of fans picking up these tendencies to act in morally questionable ways and adapt these violent traits into their everyday lives.
Audiences:
Henry Jenkins suggests that industry fans can be seen as active participants in the construction and circulation of textual meanings, Fans are known to appropriate texts and analyse them in ways that are not always authorised or intended by the media producers, they can construct their own social and cultural identities through particular media products by borrowing and inflecting culture images that are a part of a participatory culture that has a key social dimension. In particular, the Assassin's Creed franchise has a strong, invested fan base that hold significant success to the actual games themselves. The fan base culture and involvement on the series is majorly influential towards the outcome and reading of the games. Assassin's Creed Black Flag gained an overload of positive feedback and love, fans idolized following the storyline of the character Edward Kenway and enjoyed the shift of setting to the Caribbean Islands. Many claim that the feedback from this game influenced the franchise the create more unique aspects when planning future games. Whilst some aspects were kept the same, the unique elements of the game allowed fans and critics to create a new style of content when reviewing the game and this relates to the participatory culture and vital social dimension that Jenkins describes. Fans are known to take elements of the AC games and incorporate them into their own content, Black Flag influences a myriad of costume and cosplay ideas which united the community on a deeper level. Fans took inspiration from the combat techniques from the game and created their own parkour videos in the style of Black Flag.
Media Industries:
Curran and Seaton believe that the modern day media is controlled by a small number of large companies named conglomerates that are primarily driven by the idea of profit and power. They believe that media concentration overall limits and inhibits variety when it comes to content production and creativity and quality are also limited. More socially diverse patterns of ownership assist in the creation of conditions where more varied and adventurous media is produced. The Assassin's Creed series was created by the company UBISOFT who are renound for their high performing video games. However, UBISOFT is not considered a conglomerate as they are an individual company that is independant. There are aspects to their games and production that explore unique elements and embrace diversity which can be attributed to their overall success. Ubisoft is one of the largest independent video game publishers who own many studios and video games companies around the world and also own a film studio, which produces films based on their most popular video games franchise. Their fan base are heavily connected to the franchise and will blindly follow the games productions but this does not mean that the production lacks in any form of creativity and are not shy to involve unique plots and settings for the interest of fans.
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