Case study 2: Wii Party

Answer all of the following questions on your blog to complete your Wii Party case study.

General research

1. When was Wii Party released on the Nintendo Wii?
2. Which developer/institution created Wii Party?
3. How many copies has the game sold since release?

Broadcast

1. What are the key conventions of a videogame TV advert? What would you expect to see in most videogame TV adverts?
2. How many of the key conventions you have listed above appear in the Wii Party TV adverts? List them with specific details from the Wii Party TV adverts.
3. What is the typical setting for Wii Party TV adverts? Why is that setting used?
4. How might the setting appeal to families?
5. What celebrities do the adverts feature?
6. What do you notice about the celebrities' costume and make-up?
7. Why do you think those particular celebrities were chosen?
8. What do the celebrities suggest about the Wii Party target audience?
9. What else can you learn about the Wii Party target audience from the TV adverts? Suggest a demographic profile: gender, age, social class etc.
10. What audience pleasures do the Wii Party TV adverts offer to viewers? Refer to Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory when answering this question.
11. What examples of branding can you find in the Wii Party TV adverts - either for the game itself or Nintendo Wii?
12. Do you think the TV adverts were effective for promoting the Wii Party game?

Print

1. Find a Wii Party review from a magazine or newspaper. What does the review suggest about the target audience for the game?
2. Is the review positive or negative about the game? Copy and paste one quote from the review to support this view.
3. Do you think magazine reviews are effective in promoting the game to Wii Party's target audience?

E-media

1. Visit the Wii Party website. How does it attract and maintain the interest of a Wii Party fan?
2. What do you notice about the people in the scrolling central image featured on the website?
3. How many times can you find the words 'friends' or 'family' used on the official website? Why do you think the website emphasises this aspect of the game?
4. What is the colour scheme for the website? What does this suggest about the target audience?
5. Look at the 'Video Gallery' on the official website. What do the 'Invitation' videos suggest about the Wii Party target audience?
6. How many 'likes' has the Wii Party/Wii Party U Facebook wall had?
7. How does the Wii Party Facebook wall cross-promote other Nintendo games? Find three examples and explain why they appeal to the Wii Party target audience.
8. Wii Party does not have such a strong presence on other social networking sites. Why do you think this is?
9. Which platform do you think is strongest in promoting Wii Party to its target audience - broadcast, print or e-media? Why?

Complete for homework - due next week Friday.