Blog Six: Stuff Gaming
Storme Black
Image 1: He was so excited about the
GTA5 launch, in gaming. Retrieved
from http://i.imgur.com/ckegl39.jpg
Reddit is dominated by gamers; there is even a tab to select
all the information that has been uploaded in relation to games. Most games
that are mentioned are the games that are popular among western societies, (I
say this as I have heard of them among social groups). Examples are shown
within both Image 1 and 2; Grand Theft Auto and Battlefield 4. These posts have
linked multinational cooperation’s to the information found within Reddit. When
I first contemplated the relationship between global trade and exchange with
Reddit, I thought the only connection would be the occasional article that
related to international news about a company interacting in exploitation of
the public, like Google’s connection to the intelligence found within governments.
However at a closer glance I realised that the gaming
network had everything to do with international cooperation’s and further, it
had everything to do with understanding current power networks. After listening
to today’s lecture and noting Dr Victoria Kuttainen’s (2013) points about the
uneven distribution of the economy among the world, it occurred to me that most
of these users uploading the information about gaming came from the small proportion
of the world’s population. The evidence of this is simple; not only do the
users have enough money to purchase these products, they also have enough time
to play them (and those with access to gaming consoles play for hours,
something a person on a $1 a day cannot afford) (Kuttainen, 2013).
Image 2: Everyone is
super hyped for GTAV and I'm just here waiting 'till next month, in gaming. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/Battlefield_4.jpg
Reddit has a gold program which allows users to purchase
gold; those users are immediately given extra benefits from the site; it states
that specials and rewards are given to those clarifying the idea that ‘[n]ow a
product can be designed on a computer’ (Economist, 2012, p. 2). Reddit also allows its users to give gold to
other people; people choose after reading or looking at an article whether the
submission is good or bad, and as well as be able to give it a thumbs up or
down people can give those posts gold based on the personal reaction to it. This
exchange further outlines that ‘[n]ew materials are lighter, stronger and more durable
than the old ones’, especially considering that they are non physical and once
these products enter the virtual world, they can technically never leave it (Economist,
2012, p. 2).
References
Kuttainen,
V. (2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place,
Week 8: Stuff. [Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved from http//learnjcu.edu.au
Logiurato, B. (2013). Business Insider Australia. IT GETS WORSE: Google, Microsoft, Apple
Allowed Government To ‘Watch Your Ideas Form As You Type. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com.au/prism-spying-program-nsa-fbi-mine-data-yahoo-facebook-google-2013-6
Reddit: gold. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.reddit.com/gold/about
Reddit: the front page of the internet. (2013).
Retrieved from http://www.reddit.com/
Reddit: gaming. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/
The Economist. (2012). The third industrial revolution. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/node/21553017
Images
Image 1: Fairy_Tales45. He was so excited about the
GTA5 launch, in gaming. Retrieved 17.09.2013
from http://i.imgur.com/ckegl39.jpg
Image 2: ryantheabuli. Everyone is
super hyped for GTAV and I'm just here waiting 'till next month, in gaming. Retrieved 17.09.2013 from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/Battlefield_4.jpg
Good evening Storme, hope you're well.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post from you!
Van Luyn, 2013 states: [A]n economy is not just about stuff but is also the product of intersecting financial, legal, political and cultural factors.
You are proving that Reddit also has an economic purpose. Financial backers are advertising, gaming companies are advertising to appeal to the culture of the site, acting within the law and using gaming politics. For the moment, it seems the gaming economy is trying to push Grand Theft Auto V.
Reference:
Van Luyn, A. (2013, September 15). Lecture 8: Stuff. Townsville, Queensland, Australia.