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Affective Economics Travis Cowan 11/25/13 COM-335-01 Dr. Armstrong

Cowan

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Cowan The concept of affective economics can be found in Henry Jenkins book, Convergence Culture. Jenkins explains that affective economics is a new configuration of marketing theory, still somewhat on the fringes but gaining ground within the media industry, which seeks to understand the emotional underpinnings of consumer decision-making as a driving force behind viewing and purchasing decisions (Jenkins 61-62). A better way to understand affective economics is that it entails product engagement (how the product is positioned either in a television series or event) customized to fit consumer desires and needs to create emotional connections between the product and the consumer in order to shape purchasing decisions ("Affective Economics"). The key to the successful implementation of affective economics is for any media group to spread an advertising message across a multitude of platforms such as social media, television and print adverts, and large-scale conferences and conventions ("Affective Economics"). The goal is to have content exist on all platforms all the time. Todays videogame industry represents a strong example of media groups who have implemented the use of affective economics. Today, videogame industry is one of the fastest and most profitable sectors in the entire entertainment industry. Globally, in 2013 alone, the gaming industry is expected to bring in nearly $100 billion in sales. In comparison the Hollywood box office is only anticipating $10.8 billion in revenue ("Video Games to Make"). Within the world of videogames, one franchise dominates the first person shooter market. Activisions gaming franchise known to the world as Call of Duty has become a cult phenomenon ever since the production and launch of the first installment in 2003 (Davis and Altano). Throughout its ten-year history, the Call of Duty franchise has become an example of affective economics at play. Call of Duty is no longer just a game. Call of Duty

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Cowan can be found across a multitude of platforms, including Xbox, Play Station, Wii, PCs, Macs, Mobile Devices, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Call of Duty Elite, large videogame expos, and even in movie references. Call of Duty has amassed an extremely loyal community and its developers have taken notice. The producers of Call of Duty have given its loyal community an active voice and often respond to it via a community manager or strategist. The developers of Call of Duty know and understand their fan base. Every year Call of Duty advertisements are tailored to the mindsets of those who play it. They have a firm understanding about what they love in a game and what they want and need for the future. The producers behind Call of Duty have taken an entity and blurred the lines between it and the Call of Duty brand messaging. Since the production of the first installment, the publishing company Activision and Call of Dutys two game developers, Infinity Ward and Treyarch, have been releasing out a new Call of Duty game every year since 2003. In terms of production, developers Infinity Ward and Treyarch alternate production every year. Each developer has a different approach to creating their version of the game, all while maintaining the same familiar look and feel that gamers have come to recognize. Every year with a new game release brings a single player campaign epic and a newer version of the well-established online multiplayer. Activisions CEO Eric Hirshberg explains, Weve [Activision] been able to have success with new games as long as they have big new innovations that have a big appeal to our fans. Weve found the right cadence (Veselka). The single player campaigns of the older Call of Duty titles told the tales of battlefields of World War II. They were able to immerse anyone who picked up the game into believing that they were the ones fighting on the front line answering their call to duty.

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Cowan Call of Dutys more recent trilogy, the Modern Warfare series really told a true Hollywoodblockbuster epic that made gamers feel even more connected to the game and drawn into battle. This series took gamers into battle in a simulated Middle East Environment as well as took the fight to the suburban backyards of the United States. Call of Dutys single player campaigns are designed to connect with the emotions of gamers by placing them in both scenarios that they can feel that they are really a part of a good fight. As enticing as Call of Dutys single player campaign may seem, the real driving factor that keeps bringing gamers back for more year after year, is its online multiplayer. Gamers from around the world engage in simulated warfare, battling it out to be the best; battling to see who can score the most kills or take the most objectives. Call of Duty gamers invest their time and energy as well as pouring their hearts and souls into multiplayer. William Henderson, a writer from the British Telegraph, gives an explanation of the addicting basics of Call of Dutys online multiplayer success: Players are rewarded experience points after each round, allowing them to level up and unlock weapons and bonuses along the way. Fewer points are needed to move through the initial ranks in order to quickly give players the dopamine-inducing satisfaction of leveling up. Skilful play obviously equates to more experience points earned, but since participation alone is awarded something, each player is guaranteed to finish the round being nearer to the next level than they were at the beginning (Henderson). To really give a better scope as to how popular Call of Dutys multiplayer has been, all one has to do is look at recently released Activision statistical data. Over 100 million

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Cowan people around the globe have played Call of Duty at some point its ten-year franchise history (Helgeson). Call of Duty players have fired 32.3 Quadrillion fictional bullets at one anther (Helgeson). Within Call of Dutys multiplayer community, gamers have destroyed five billion fictional cars, which in comparison is five times the amount of registered vehicles in the world today (Helgeson). Over the ten years of Call of Dutys history, gamers have invested 25 billion hoursapproximately 2.85 million years of play time on Call of Dutys multiplayer service (Helgeson). To put that in perspective, the modern human species has only been in existence for 200,000 years ("How long have we been"). Tim Cross, a science and technology correspondent for the Economist, offers a very interesting take on the overall videogame industry as well as an inside into Call of Duty. He explains, over the past two decades the video-games business has gone from a cottage industry selling to a few niche customers to a fully grown branch of the entertainment industry (Cross). Gaming companies in comparison to those within the additional sectors of the entertainment industry have been more eager to seek out and chase the next big thing. In addition they are always actively seeking new audiences. For example Cross mentions that in recent years video game companies have drawn in groups such as women, the elderly and middle-aged commuters who would never describe themselves as gamers but are more than happy to play FarmVille on Facebook or Angry Birds on their smartphones (Cross). Cross discusses the importance that the Internet has made on the rise and fragmentation of the video game market. Because of the Internet, gaming companies who might not have once been able to afford to have their products sold in traditional retail outlets, now posses the ability to market and distribute their product to a wide audience for a much cheaper price. Cross also mentions that the Internet itself has

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Cowan become a workable platform for videogames. The Internet has made the hobby truly sociable by electronically linking gamers the world over (Cross). Just like a majority media businesses in todays economic market, the videogame industry is growing at an expediential rate. Cross explains that what makes the videogames so unique compared to the other types of media businesses within the entertainment industry is that it has welcomed change and innovation and thrived on it. It is now growing in all sorts of unexpected ways (Cross). Cross gives the example of the rise of e-sports. The best players can earn money (sometimes a lot of it) from e-sportsthat is, video games played professionally, in front of a crowd. And after years of talk about an imminent virtual reality revolution, it is the games industry that has perfected cheap, convincing simulations of the real world (Cross). Cross gives some light and paints a picture of the significance of Call of Dutys success. The example he gives is the 2010 release of Call of Duty: Black Ops. Fans in many countries queued round the block to get their hands on a coveted early copy. A lucky few had won tickets to invitation-only release parties which were broadcast live to viewers across the internet. The event had been advertised on billboards, buses and television for weeks. Chrysler even produced a commemorative version of its Jeep. In the event the reviews were mixed, but no matter: the publishers, Activision, notched up worldwide sales of $650m in the first five days. That made it the most successful launch of an entertainment product ever, and people kept buying. A month later the total stood at over $1 billion (Cross). Cross gives a comparison to the launch of Black Ops to the opening weekend of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. That movie is the current record-holder for the

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Cowan fastest-selling film at the box office and only managed to make just $169m of ticket sales on its first weekend. Some of the reasons that make Call of Duty such a successful and addicting experience might be related to fact of the level of interactivity and replay ability the game provides the user. Call of Duty fits perfectly into Mark J. P. Wolfone of the leading figures in video game studiesanalysis of gaming interactivity. Wolf explains, whatever genre, time period, or style of game one considers, the structure of a games interactivity determines much of the games experience and should be an important part of scholarly videogame analysis (Wolf 85). Call of Duty is a fast-paced, quick reaction; twitch shooter that requires instant reaction timing for success. Wolf explains that that games that require both reflection and reflex action may also increase their replayability, since players will need more playing experience and foreknowledge of what they are facing in order to make the right choices at a fast enough rate (Wolf 81). This drive for being better and having more knowledge of the game are just some of the reasons that so many gamers invest their time into playing Call of Dutys multiplayer online service. The structure of the multiplayer online service may also be a contributing factor as to why gamers invest their time in game. Wolf mentions that some choices affecting all aspects of a game may even be made before the game play itself begins (e.g., in some adventure games, the choosing of an avatar and that avatars various attributes (Wolf 82). Prior to entering any multiplayer game on Call of Duty, gamers can customize and choose their unique weapon load outs and character perks such as stopping power (increased bullet damage), dead silence (character makes no sound when moving), and sleight of hand (faster reloading).

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Cowan One of the last elements in Wolfs analysis that can be linked to Call of Dutys success, is the lack of an on-off ability of the multiplayer service. Unlike arcade, consolebased, and cartridge-based games that can be restarted and replayed from its beginning, returning the game to its initial state, large-scale networked online games cannot (Wolf 83). The ongoing nature of these games on their continually developing worlds make the consequences of players actions much more long lasting, and the time and money invested in them raise the stakes of play and the seriousness of player termination (Wolf 83). Once a gamer enters a multiplayer game on Call of Duty, there is no restarting except for the process of quitting and taking a loss. This causes a penalty lowering the overall score achievement of the gamer. In addition to Cross, and Wolf, Henry Jenkins, gives an interesting opinion on the nature of videogames and the media industry. On his personal online blog, Jenkins mentions how media companies have harnessed the power of loyal fan consumers in a multitude of ways. Jenkins notes that not only are fans being used in their traditional use as consumers but are also being used as a means of tapping consumers individual and collective insights to refine the production process of an overall product. In the past Call of Dutys fans have been used to better the production of the game throughout its ten year history. Although not they are not take given a direct role in the games production, fans have been given a voice via Call of Dutys official forums as well as a direct access to those in development studio via the community managers Twitter and Facebook pages. Jenkins notes that the strategy of using the voice of fans as a method enhancing production has not always worked out in the past. Jenkins gives the example of game Star Wars Galaxies (Jenkins). The developers of this game allowed fans to direct the creation of the early game

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Cowan which resulted in an in an immediate fan base when the game launched (Jenkins). However changes were made to the final product that deviated from the original design, against the wishes of the contributing fans (Jenkins). These changes were done in hopes of expanding its market, outside of just its small initial loyal fan base (Jenkins). By doing so the production company alienated the original players without generating new interest, and thus caused the game to flop. Luckily so far, Call of Duty has not experienced a flop yet, but who knows that the future might hold. For the remainder of this paper will seek to answer the following questions having to do with Call of Duty as a media product and the concept of Affective economics: One, how does Call of Duty use affective economics? Two, how do consumers react to or use affective economics? Three, on what media outlets does Call of Duty use affective economics? Four, does Call of Duty use affective economics in a way that effectively uses the features of each media outlet? Five, is Call of Dutys use of affective economics ethical or manipulative? Using all of these five questions as guidelines, this paper will give a better picture as to why Call of Duty has become so successful as a product and why its fan-base is like no other in the entertainment industry. In hopes of answering these questions, this paper will take a deeper, analytical approach to Call of Dutys multiplayer online service, Call of Dutys online social media platformCall of Duty Elite, Call of Dutys 2011 videogame conventionCall of Duty XP, and one of Call of Dutys Live Action advertisement game release trailers. Within each of these segments, this paper will analyze the overall effectiveness of each platform, level of impact of the platform on the game itself, and overall perception and how the Call of Duty fan base perceived it.

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Cowan Because each individual Call of Duty has its own multiplayer, this paper will focus on use the multiplayer of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. When Black Ops 2 was released it was put in the position of having to follow its preceding Call of Duty title Modern Warfare 3, as well as compete with AAA title rival first person shooters, such as Halo 4, Dishonored, Resident Evil 6, Borderlands 2 and Medal of Honor: Warfighter (Cowen). Call of Dutys developer, Treyarch, had to invent a way so that it would maintain its brand name and image all while providing enough new innovations to separate it from the rest of the crowd and make it a true success. It turns out that they were very successful in doing so. Treyarch instituted a massive overhaul in terms of design all without altering the looks and feel of its predecessors (Cowen). The new multiplayer featured a new level of customization never seen before along with a litany of new game modes that would keep players playing for the rest of the year, all without generating boredom. On Xbox Live, Microsofts online gaming service, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 held the title of the most popular game, and its predecessor Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 held the second position (Orry). In terms of its use of affective economics, Call of Dutys multiplayer service is really social entity that allows users to connect with one another from around the world, building a community within itself. Players are encouraged in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 to save recorded footage in game via its Theatre mode, and then either share it with friends or upload the saved and edited footage to the Internet (Veselka). From a corporate level, this use of affective economics by encouraging gamers to upload their footage and share it with friends allows for the game to be marketed freely outside of one platform the game consoleand appear on another. Is this action manipulative? The answer is yes and no. It is manipulative on the grounds that gamers are unaware that they are providing

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Cowan free advertising for Call of Duty. At the same time it is not manipulative because it provides users an enhanced experience with a free tool they would not have anywhere else within another game platform. In addition to the ability to play and socialize on Call of Dutys multiplayer service via gaming console or PC platform, the Call of Duty experience exists online through its own the social media platformCall of Duty Elite. Prior to the creation of Call of Duty Elite in 2011, the producers of Call of Duty faced a growing problem and were looking for a way to harness it. The average Call of Duty player spends 58 minutes per day playing multiplayer. That is more than the average Facebook user spends per day on Facebook (Hutchings). Producers recognized the fact that Call of Duty was becoming a social and communal phenomena and that it was largely disorganized. At the time Eric Hirshberg, the CEO of Activision said, There are very few tools to unite and super charge that social community (Hutchings). As a result of the necessity for a better communal-based organized system emerged Call of Duty Elite. The original Call of Duty Elite service when it debuted focused on three main areas. The first service Elite offered was the creation of a platform that connected gamers with other gamers. It focused on creating new friendships and connecting people with others to play with. The second service Elite offered was about the creation and organization of amateur and professional competitive e-sports. At this level gamers could enter tournaments and play for virtual or real prizes. The third service consisted of helping gamers, either novice or advanced, improve their skill levels by offering the ability to access personal game stats, gameplay strategic how-to videos, multiplayer map

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Cowan information, and information regarding different weapons, character perks, etc (Hutchings). If you look at the service today at the website, http://www.callofduty.com/ca/en/elite, one can see the advancement in features. The service now offers gamers the option and ability to browse, join, and play in various ranked leagues as well a service known as Call of Duty Elite TV which delivers community focused content to its users featuring developer tips and strategy programming, custom class overviews and more (Call of Duty Elite). Call of Duty Elite also has offers a new service that allows gamers to broadcast live-streams while they are gaming, to either their personalized Twitch.tv or YouTube account. Gamers who live stream have some distinct advantages such as having the ability to not only share games with others but also gain the power to amass loyal followers who tune in to watch (Call of Duty Elite). It allows gamers the ability to stand out and become celebrities within the greater Call of Duty community. Gamers who find themselves on Elite who are not interested in broadcasting but instead watching, have the power to watch live streams from professionals, learn tricks and tips, and learn how to effectively dominate the multiplayer matchmaking scene (Call of Duty Elite). The steaming service also allows gamers to stream or watch live Call of Duty events from around the world and compete in or watch games at the highest level of competitive Call of Duty play (Call of Duty Elite). Call of Duty Elite exists not only on the web, but also as a standalone service on PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. Call of Duty Elite has been developed as a app on IOS and Android devices, which gives mobile viewers on-demand access to the Elite service and the ability to do all of the following:

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One, track individual multiplayer progress (Activision Publishing, Inc). Two, use Clan HQ to organize, socialize, discuss gaming tactics with other gamers, and check in-game leaderboards and personal or team winnings (Activision Publishing, Inc). And Three, without having to turn on the multiplayer game itself, make adjustments using the Custom Class Editor to in-game character weapons (Activision Publishing, Inc). The reality all of these features can be performed from a mobile device highlights just one of the far-extended reaches that Call of Duty has on the lives of gamers across a multitude of platforms. The entire Call of Duty Elite service serves as a perfect example affective economics at work. Gamers are using this service to interact with the game and other players all while the producers of Call of Duty are using it to get feedback and other information about their game from their customers. In terms of the level of manipulation this service allows the publishers of Call of Duty to have on its customers is relatively high. When a publisher has the ability and power to control a service that almost an entire community uses and needs, they can manipulate it as they see fit regardless of the effect it might have on the consumer base. For example, when Call of Duty Elite was first introduced on the market in 2011, it was coupled with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The service featured a basic free-to-use service that gave access to most of the social media features. However it also included a prepaid-year long premium member service that gave added benefits such as early access to downloadable in-game content, access of Elite TV, and the ability to participate in some exclusive Call of Duty Elite communal tournaments. When Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was

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Cowan released in 2012, the decision was made to turn Call of Duty Elite into a totally free service and thus remove the option of to sign up for or renew the premium service. Those who paid for the service in 2011 found out that once it ended in 2012, the features such as participating in certain Modern Warfare 3 communal challenges or eventsall features customers paid for in Modern Warfare 3 were no longer usable. This example of manipulation is acceptable by some degree in order to make the service free for everyone, and move the community forward, the producers of Call of Duty had to sacrifice the few out of many who did not want to make the move away from Modern Warfare 3 and transition towards Black Ops 2. In the long run, the sacrificing of this small group did not appear to have had any significant economic impact on the product nor did it seem to have an impact on the majority of the community who continue to use the service today. Call of Duty has managed to not only invade across a multitude of media platforms, but also into the real world. The brand name can be found in television advertisements, clothing, automobiles, gaming expos etc. One of the most infamous events in the history of the Call of Duty occurred between September 2nd and September 3rd of 2011 ("Call of Duty XP FAQ"). In what Activision described as the the premiere live fan experience for Call of Duty gamers at every skill level, Call of Duty XP, a two-day event, was held at massive installation in Playa Vista, California in the heart of Los Angeles. For a ticket price of 150$ each, loyal Call of Duty fans were given an entertainment and gaming experience of a lifetime ("Call of Duty XP FAQ"). For the fans who attended, they were given the right to witness the global reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer as well as got the first chance to actually play it. In addition to getting a first hands-on look at the game, fans were given the opportunity to

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Cowan participate in different Call of Duty themed challenges and events. In addition to the event, Call of Duty XP also hosted a series of Call of Duty multiplayer tournaments. Fans who attended of all skill levels could participate in a variety of free-for-all, king-of-the-hill, Zombies, Spec Ops and team-based multiplayer competitions ("Call of Duty XP FAQ"). The biggest gaming tournament of the event featured 32-four man teams represented from all over the United States and from around the globe, battling it out for a one million dollar prize ("Call of Duty XP FAQ"). The producers of Call of Duty also offered prizes for some of other the various competitions including items such as various Call of Duty merchandise items, Xbox 360s, and even a genuine new [at the time] 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call Of Duty: MW3 Edition ("Jeep + Call of Duty"). The producers of Call of Duty paid homage to their fans by turning significant portions of the compound into recreations of familiar in-game landmarks. For example, one of the main attractions at the event was a paintball arena set up and created to look like a fan-favorite multiplayer map from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 called Scrap Yard. The map was a 1:1 replica recreation that allowed gamers to do battle in real life using paintball guns just as they had done in game using virtual guns and bullets. The producers of Call of Duty created and brought to life another 1:1 replica map from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 called the pit. To pay homage to the burger joint, Burger Town, that gamers invested hours in protecting from a Russian invasion during a level in the campaign story of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the producers of Call of Duty recreated it on the compound as a place for gamers to get meals during the day. Tucked away in another area of the compound was an exhibit that featured the real military weapons, arsenals, and tactical combat gear featured in game. This was an exiting feature to many gamers who

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Cowan attended the event because a majority had only seen and used these weapons and tactical gear virtually within the game. In addition to the weapons exhibit, included another that gave loyal fans the ability to browse concept art, research, and history of the Call of Duty series ("Call of Duty XP FAQ"). Call of Duty XP 2011 is a great example of Call of Dutys use of affective economics. This event was used by Call of Dutys producers to instill a greater sense of passion and hype about the love Call of Duty and as well as instill a promise of commitment to brand. Call of Duty fans used the experience to come together and rally behind the product they love and join hands with their fellow gamers at a communal event. It appears that the large majority of those who attended came away with a good lasting impression and desire to play the game even more come time when it was released that November (2011). Call of Duty XP was by far one of the most manipulative events used by the producers of Call of Duty. With all the media hype built up around the event and the attraction it was gaining, it served as free exposure and advertisement for the upcoming game. Although it may have looked to fans like the event was all about them, it was really all about selling the game to them and putting their product in the hands of waiting consumers. The producers of Call of Duty helped take the liberty of making the decision of whether fans would play their game upon its release by packaging each 150$ ticket with a voucher for a free copy of the limited edition of Modern Warfare 3, and an exclusive Call of Duty goodie bag ("Call of Duty XP FAQ"). Some present the argument that the high-valued, 150$ price tag is too much and thus unethical for a ticket for an event advertise and sell a product. However to counter that potential argument the producers of Call of Duty were being ethical in charging 150$ a ticket because that money spent would go towards charity. The the producers of Call of

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Cowan Duty declared openly that 100 percent of Call of Duty XPs ticket sales were not being used for any profit but were going towards the Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit organization which seeks to help veterans find work and establish careers as they transition back to civilian life. The last areas this paper will examine and analyze one of Call of Dutys TV advertisements that best represents the use of affective economics. The first example is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3s multiplayer ad titled, The Vet and the n00b. The advertisement features actors, Sam Worthington, Jonah Hill and Dwight Howard who are engaged in a simulated live-action game across a multitude of locations featured within the multiplayer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. In the advertisement Sam Worthington portrays the seasoned of veteran who runs throughout the arena, dodges bullets, takes down helicopters, kills and destroys anything that stands in his way. While Worthington is doing his moves, Jonah Hill, the n00bthe gamer who is new to it allstands still in shock and awe. Hill watches in amazement and realizes how awesome it would be to have the skills that Worthington possesses. Eventually Hill picks up a bunch of guns and begins to go crazy, just as any seasoned Call of Duty player would know a n00b would do. Worthington sits back in awe at the stupidity of Hills actions. Eventually Worthington tells Hill to watch and learn from his actions. The two begin to dominate the field together until Hill takes the lead and leaves a dominating impression on Worthington. The ad ends with the classic Call of Duty tag line of There's a soldier in all of us (The Vet & The n00b). This advertisement uses affective economics well to reach out and connect on a personal level with those within the Call of Duty community as well as reach out to those outside it offer a welcoming hand to join. The advert does a good job manipulating an

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Cowan audience by showcasing the stereotypes that exist within the world of gaming. Seasoned customers of the Call of Duty brand can connect with Worthingtons character because they know what it is like to be good at the game and how awesome it looks when they are dominating on in a game. On the contrary to Worthingtons character, those who have never picked up a controller know the feeling of being lost and not knowing anything about the game. Those who are new to the game series entirely connect with Hills the n00b. They have an understanding of what it is like to be in shock and awe while watching someone who is a seasoned veteran in Call of Duty go on a twenty-five-kill streak tearing through the enemy team. Call of Duty uses affective economics effectively to show those who might want to buy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, but remain hesitant about it because they fear they will hopeless while playing online, that with enough playtime and personal investment anyone can do it. The skill and drive to be a soldier is something everyone within the gaming world has deep down inside. Once that customer becomes that super soldier through playing the game, they will become hooked and become veterans of the game themselves. Through an intense and emotional journey, those who invest time and energy into the game will have the power to one day to scoff at those who they now consider the n00bs to the game. The Call of Duty producers use this advertisement effectively to show and bridge the gap that whether you're a veteran of Call of Duty or a n00b just starting out, there's a soldier in all of us (The Vet & The n00b). In terms of popularity and effective community outreach, on YouTube alone, the advertisement received close to twenty-six million views, 26,777 likes and only 6,545 dislikes (The Vet & The n00b). This ad was played through a wide variety of viewing platforms such as, the web, television, mobile

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Cowan devices, and various gaming consoles. Because of the effectiveness of the tagline Theres a Soldier in All of Us, the producers of Call of Duty have stuck with it and have used it in their multiplayer live-action trailers since its first use in 2010 with the advert for Call of Duty: Black Ops. Since its use, it has appeared in the adverts for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and Call of Duty: Ghosts. Research on videogames and affective economics has not been done on a widerange scholarly level before. The research, findings, and conclusions that are included in this paper have shown that what has been said about the video game industry remains true. Video games are the fastest, most profitable sector within the entertainment industry and need to be taken seriously. Videogames that feature intense levels of customization, and interactivity, and maintain a high replay-ability, are bound to be successful. The Call of Duty franchise shows the example that when gaming companies find a cadence with what their consumer base likes and couples it with their demands and new innovations, success is bound to happen. The Call of Duty franchise over the past ten years has maintained a working game model that continues to reinvent itself just enough each year to both keep returning gaming consumers satisfied all while attracting and reigning in additional consumers to join the Call of Duty community. Call of Dutys producers are not perfect and have generated controversies in the past that have angered its fans. These small controversies often just boil over and get lost within the Call of Duty love-hate relationship that has been established between producer and consumer. No matter what really might happen, the gamers who dedicate themselves to playing Call of Duty will remain loyal to the Franchise. It is going to take a lot of changes to the core design and model of the game to really cause an exodus away from the franchise.

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Cowan In the media today, some have voiced doubts and worry that with the release of the new next-generation of advanced gaming consoles from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, this November (2013), the future of the Call of Duty franchise could be affected. The Call of Duty producers at Infinity Ward are sure that with the rise of new consoles, Call of Duty is here to stay along with its dedicated fan base. Executive producer Mark Rubin at Infinity Ward said: We have an enormous amount of players who are more in the casual game space, but they play a lot. Its kind of a weird, ironic thing to say. They arent hardcore gamers, or even gamers, but they play Call of Duty every night. And those guys are going to continue to play regardless of platform. So I think not only will we continue to engage with that existing player base, but well take next gen and see how far we can go with it (Taylor). If the future of the Call of Duty franchise remains unchanged in both its game model and its size and loyalty of its fan base, hopefully new and improved research may be done showing how the producers of Call of Duty have used affective economics as a way of maintaining success as well as maybe how the producers at Call of Duty developed their successful marketing strategies, and their ability to conduct successful community assessment and management.

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Works Cited

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Cowan - - -. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer Briefing -- Full Length Video. YouTube. N.p., 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16EqOQVSG94>. - - -. Official Call of Duty: Ghosts Live-Action Trailer - "Epic Night Out." YouTube. N.p., 2 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNxh7umVOZ0>. - - -. Official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - The Vet & The n00b. YouTube. N.p., 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuzaxlddWbk>. - - -. "Surprise" - Official Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Live-Action Trailer. YouTube. N.p., 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wIZp_E2CxQ>. "Call of Duty anniversary/ Top 10 things weve learned from Call of Duty -." Mirror Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technologyscience/technology/call-duty-anniversary-top-10-2651496>. "Call of Duty: Black Ops marketing that gets it." Optimal Brand Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://optimalbranddevelopment.com/blog/call-duty-black-opsmarketing/>. Call of Duty Elite. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <https://elite.callofduty.com/?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Felite.callofduty.com%2Fpla yer%2Fhome>. "Call of Duty Elite." Call of Duty Elite. Activision, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <https://elite.callofduty.com/?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Felite.callofduty.com%2Fpla yer%2Fhome>. "Call of Duty XP FAQ." Call of Duty XP. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://www.callofduty.com/xp/faq>.

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Cowan Chan, Kimberley. "Why Was the Release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 So Successful?" One Desk. N.p., 13 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.onedesk.com/2013/02/why-was-the-release-of-call-of-duty-modernwarfare-3-so-successful/>. Cheer, Dan. "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 review." Gameplanet New Zealand. N.p., 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/pc/games/175403.Call-ofDuty-Modern-Warfare-3/reviews/138192.Call-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3/>. Cheuvront, Matt. "Call of Duty, Customer Relationships, & A Culture of Sequels." Life Without Pants. N.p., 8 Nov. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/call-ofduty-customer-relationships-a-culture-of-sequels/>. "Community Forums." Call of Duty Community. Activision, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://community.callofduty.com/community/call_of_duty/english/ghosts/forums#.Uo7 ORpH0BFw>. Cornwell, Bettina, Clinton Weeks, and Donald Roy. "Sponsorship-Linked Marketing: Opening the Black Box." Journal of Advertising 34.2 (2005): 21-42. JSTOR. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4189295 .>. Cowen, Nick. "Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 review." T3 The Gadget Website. N.p., 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://www.t3.com/reviews/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-review>. - - -. "Review: Call of Duty Ghosts Delivers More Big Dumb Fun." Computer And Video Games. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.computerandvideogames.com/436634/reviews/review-call-of-duty-ghostsdelivers-more-big-dumb-fun-review/>.

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Cowan Good, Owen. "Activision CEO Sees Call of Duty as a Form of Social Media." Kotaku. N.p., 26 Dec. 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://kotaku.com/5718425/activision-ceo-sees-call-ofduty-as-a-form-of-social-media>. Handrahan, Matthew. "Black Ops 2 and the future of Call of Duty." Games Industry International. N.p., 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-13-black-ops-ii-and-the-future-of-callof-duty Page 2 of 5>. Helgeson, Matt. "Infographic Shows Incredible Amount Of Time Spent Playing Call of Duty." Game Informer. N.p., 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/08/13/new-infographic-showsincredible-amount-of-time-spent-playing-call-of-duty.aspx>. Henderson, William. "Call of Duty: Black Ops II more evidence that games manufacturers are rewarding addiction, not skill." The Telegraph. N.p., 19 Nov. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/williamhenderson/100008304/call-of-dutyblack-ops-ii-more-evidence-that-games-manufacturers-are-rewarding-addiction-notskill/>. Hobbs, Jaime. "What Makes Call of Duty So Popular?" Chaoshour. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.chaoshour.com/articles/feature/why-is-the-call-of-duty-franchise-sopopular>. Holden, Will. "Activision on games like 'Call of Duty': 'People appreciate our approach.'" Examiner. N.p., 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.examiner.com/article/activision-on-games-like-call-of-duty-peopleappreciate-our-approach>.

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Cowan "How long have we been here?" Natural History Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/human-origins/modern-humanevolution/when/index.html>. Hutchings, Emma. "The latest iteration of the Call of Duty franchise, 'Call of Duty: Elite,' combines the connective logic that powers Facebook with its popular game." PSFK. N.p., 3 June 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.psfk.com/2011/06/call-of-duty-socialnetwork-creates-the-ultimate-multiplayer.html>. The Ideal Self at Play: The Appeal of Video Games That Let You Be All You Can Be

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Cowan Rezaee, Stan. "Gamers disagree with critics overall rating of 'Call of Duty: Ghosts.'" Examiner. N.p., 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.examiner.com/article/gamersdisagree-with-critics-overall-rating-of-call-of-duty-ghosts>. Siddiqui, Abdul. "'Call of Duty: Ghosts': How the Series' Success Stunted a Gaming Revolution." Policy Mic. N.p., Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.policymic.com/articles/72049/call-of-duty-ghosts-how-the-series-successstunted-a-gaming-revolution Page 1 of 11>. Siegel, Lucas. "CALL OF DUTY: ELITE Combines Social Media, Pro-Gaming, More." Newsarama. N.p., 31 May 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.newsarama.com/7704-call-of-duty-elite-combines-social-media-progaming-more.html>. Squire, Kurt. "From Content to Context: Videogames as Designed Experience." Educational Researcher 35.8 (2006): 19-29. JSTOR. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4124789 .>. Stevens, Andrew. "Call of Duty Activision Launches New Call of Duty: Ghosts App Providing Users with Second Screen and Clan Editing." 148 Apps. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.148apps.com/news/call-duty-activision-launches-call-duty-ghosts-appproviding-users-screen-clan-editing/>. Strom, Robert, and William Ray. "Communication in the Affective Domain" ["The Challenge of Nonverbal Awareness"]. Theory into Practice 10.4: 268-75. JSTOR. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1475754 .>. Takahashi, Dean. "Activision ratchets up Call of Duty: Ghosts advertising to fight off competitors." Venture Beat. N.p., 3 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

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