The media product I am choosing is the video game Fortnite. Never before have I come across a piece of media that weaves together consumerism, audience satisfaction, and the conventions of a videogame so seamlessly yet so starkly. In the game, you have a barrage of different 'skins' (character looks) to choose from of which many are characters from popular media in collaboration with that skins respective owner brand. For example, Fortnite has had 'Marvel updates' in which the game is updated to include skins of all different kinds of characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe which are to be bought with an in-game currency called 'V Bucks'. Of course, this is a way for the videogame to maintain user engagement and also becomes a platform for a company like Marvel to display its own products. There was an update recently that was made to include the Marvel villian Dr. Doom. This was following the viral news that a Dr. Doom live action movie was going to begin production with Robert Downey Jr famously taking up the role. In the Michelle Stack and Dierdre Kelly reading, they reference Hamelink and his understanding that we have become a 'billboard society'. Children of a yound age are being sold an image. To the benefit of the company, it is an image that children are made to identify with. These 'skins' of superheroes and even celebrities ask the child to locate these popular media representations that they look up to in an augmented world that caters to children's socialising with friends, near and far. It is the creation of a whole new world where, as the authors write, "belonging is not rooted in concepts of democratic citizenship but in consumerism".
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This is an excellent analysis of fortnite. What resonates deeply with the me is the idea that fortnite incorporates different trends in pop-culture to make their product more attractive to the general public. I remember when the developers of fortnite first introduced the novel idea of an in-game concert and how it caused a storm in the gaming community. But such ingenuity is not only limited to these rather outlandish concept. The game seems to be self-aware, which in itself, is exceptional. It never remains stangnant, but evolves, with time, with the prevalent trends in society. The post closes with the statement "belonging is not rooted in concepts of demorcatic citizenship but in consumerism" never rings truer than today. The…
I strongly agree with your analysis on Fortnite's unique position in popular culture. Few games have been as successful in incorporating other forms of popular media to create a larger promotional campaign for their game and many game developers are now playing catchup to this marketing strategy such as Call of Duty introducing movie-themed DLCs. This phenomena perfectly links with the 'billboard' society concept that the Stack and Kelly reading expands on as I've personally seen one of my young cousin's perception on culture being informed by the game.
The game is also one of a few which has a relatively gender-neutral audience (in the genre of first-person shooters) as the playable characters are more inclusive than other games. Female…
You have done a great job at analysing 'Fortnite'. This analysis of *Fortnite* highlights how the game intertwines consumerism, media representation, and audience engagement. Through collaborations with major brands like Marvel, *Fortnite* offers players the ability to buy skins, such as Marvel characters, which drives user engagement and brand promotion. By wearing superhero skins, children are encouraged to align their self-expression and social belonging with popular media representations, reinforcing consumerist values over concepts like democratic citizenship.
Michelle Stack and Dierdre Kelly's work supports this critique, noting that *Fortnite* creates an augmented world where belonging is shaped by what children can purchase rather than participate in as citizens. The game thus serves as a platform for consumer culture, where personal and…