More Than Just Skin(S) in the Game: How One Digital Video Game Item Is Being Used for Unregulated Gambling Purposes Online
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Skin Gambling
UNDERSTANDING SKIN GAMBLING A guide to what skin gambling is, how it works, the demand for skin gambling, recent controversy, the legal issues, and the key takeaways for the regulated gambling industry. CHRIS GROVE 2016 Partner, Narus Advisors Thanks to increasing coverage from the mainstream media and a recent rash of controversies, skin betting - online wagering conducted in digital items instead of money - has become a topic of interest to many in the gambling industry . This white paper provides a concise but comprehensive education on the fundamentals of skin betting, the size and nature of the market for skin betting, the legal landscape, and some key takeaways for commercial gambling stakeholders . TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW 1 What are skins? . .2 How do players acquire skins? . 2. How do people bet skins? . .2 How large is the market for skin betting? . .3 SKIN BETTING: INDUSTRY TIMELINE 4 Introduction and growth . 4. Recent controversy . .4 SKIN GAMBLING AND THE LAW 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR THE COMMERCIAL GAMBLING INDUSTRY 6 Strong demand for gambling exists among esports fans . .6 That demand may not be obvious through the prism of traditional gambling . 6. Focus on speed, simplicity, social (and skins) . .6 APPENDIX A 7 APPENDIX B 7 AN IMPORTANT NOTE As we prepare to publish this paper (July 2016), the skin gambling industry is facing an existential threat from game developer Valve. The game developer is seeking to shut down skin betting sites, a move that appears to be meeting at least some resistance from the sites. We believe that even if Valve is successful in largely eradicating skin gambling, the product still deserves careful attention as a possible template for a new class of gambling products that will prove popular with esports fans and the new generation of gamblers they represent. -
Chell Game: Representation, Identification, and Racial Ambiguity in PORTAL and PORTAL 2 2015
Repositorium für die Medienwissenschaft Jennifer deWinter; Carly A. Kocurek Chell Game: Representation, Identification, and Racial Ambiguity in PORTAL and PORTAL 2 2015 https://doi.org/10.25969/mediarep/14996 Veröffentlichungsversion / published version Sammelbandbeitrag / collection article Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: deWinter, Jennifer; Kocurek, Carly A.: Chell Game: Representation, Identification, and Racial Ambiguity in PORTAL and PORTAL 2. In: Thomas Hensel, Britta Neitzel, Rolf F. Nohr (Hg.): »The cake is a lie!« Polyperspektivische Betrachtungen des Computerspiels am Beispiel von PORTAL. Münster: LIT 2015, S. 31– 48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25969/mediarep/14996. Erstmalig hier erschienen / Initial publication here: http://nuetzliche-bilder.de/bilder/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Hensel_Neitzel_Nohr_Portal_Onlienausgabe.pdf Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer Creative Commons - This document is made available under a creative commons - Namensnennung - Nicht kommerziell - Weitergabe unter Attribution - Non Commercial - Share Alike 3.0/ License. For more gleichen Bedingungen 3.0/ Lizenz zur Verfügung gestellt. Nähere information see: Auskünfte zu dieser Lizenz finden Sie hier: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Jennifer deWinter / Carly A. Kocurek Chell Game: Representation, Identification, and Racial Ambiguity in ›Portal‹ and ›Portal 2‹ Chell stands in a corner facing a portal, then takes aim at the adjacent wall with the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device. Between the two portals, one ringed in blue, one ringed in orange, Chell is revealed, reflected in both. And, so, we, the player, see Chell. She is a young woman with a ponytail, wearing an orange jumpsuit pulled down to her waist and an Aperture Science-branded white tank top. -
What the Skin Betting Lawsuits Could Mean for Social Gaming
Law and Legislation GETTING REAL: WHAT THE SKIN BETTING LAWSUITS COULD MEAN FOR SOCIAL GAMING Faced with several lawsuits, CS:GO developer Valve has acted decisively to The plaintiff claimed the casino element of stop third-party sites offering skin betting, but if the courts now hold that skins Game of War was illegal gambling. The court have “real-world” value, the entire skins system—and all similar gaming— disagreed and held that the game itself was could be at risk, writes Jessica A. Feil of Ifrah Law. not a gambling “machine” as defined in the state statutes. While the holding focused on eSports is the new, burgeoning, competitive The social gaming cases and the physical mechanics of the game, the tone video game industry. Starting with popular virtual prizes of the opinion stressed the difference between video games for home play, now there are In four recent social gaming cases, plaintiffs real-world and virtual goods. According to international tournaments and professional sued various mobile social game creators for the court, the virtual goods have no real value leagues organized around the games. But losses due to alleged illegal gambling. Yet, in except to enhance gameplay. Further, the with growth comes legal challenges. One all of these cases, the courts have sided with ability to sell the items on an unsanctioned major game creator, Valve Corporation, has the game creators. The grounds for dismissal secondary market did not establish a real- been named as a defendant in three putative in these cases illuminate a similar theme: world value for the virtual items. -
Gambling and Video Games: Are Esports Betting and Skin Gambling Associated with Greater Gambling Involvement and Harm?
RESEARCH REPORT Gambling and video games: are esports betting and skin gambling associated with greater gambling involvement and harm? July 2020 responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au © Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, July 2020 This publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs, branding or logos. This report has been peer reviewed by two independent researchers. For further information on the foundation’s review process of research reports, please see responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au. For information on the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Research Program visit responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au. Disclaimer The opinions, findings and proposals contained in this report represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the attitudes or opinions of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation or the State of Victoria. No warranty is given as to the accuracy of the information. The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation specifically excludes any liability for any error or inaccuracy in, or omissions from, this document and any loss or damage that you or any other person may suffer. Conflict of interest declaration The authors declare no conflict of interest in relation to this report or project. To cite this report Greer, N, Rockloff, M, Russell, Alex M. T., 2020, Gambling and video games: are esports betting and skin gambling associated with greater gambling involvement and harm?, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, -
Video Games: Changing the Way We Think of Home Entertainment
Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Scholar Works Theses 2005 Video games: Changing the way we think of home entertainment Eri Shulga Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Shulga, Eri, "Video games: Changing the way we think of home entertainment" (2005). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Video Games: Changing The Way We Think Of Home Entertainment by Eri Shulga Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Information Technology Rochester Institute of Technology B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences Copyright 2005 Rochester Institute of Technology B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences Master of Science in Information Technology Thesis Approval Form Student Name: _ __;E=.;r....;...i S=-h;....;..;u;;;..;..lg;;i..;:a;;...__ _____ Thesis Title: Video Games: Changing the Way We Think of Home Entertainment Thesis Committee Name Signature Date Evelyn Rozanski, Ph.D Evelyn Rozanski /o-/d-os- Chair Prof. Andy Phelps Andrew Phelps Committee Member Anne Haake, Ph.D Anne R. Haake Committee Member Thesis Reproduction Permission Form Rochester Institute of Technology B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences Master of Science in Information Technology Video Games: Changing the Way We Think Of Home Entertainment L Eri Shulga. hereby grant permission to the Wallace Library of the Rochester Institute of Technofogy to reproduce my thesis in whole or in part. -
DISTRIBUTING PRODUCTIVE PLAY: a MATERIALIST ANALYSIS of STEAM Daniel Joseph Doctor of Philosophy Ryerson University, 2017
DISTRIBUTING PRODUCTIVE PLAY: A MATERIALIST ANALYSIS OF STEAM by Daniel Joseph Master of Arts, Ryerson University and York University, Toronto, Ontario 2011 Bachelor of Arts, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, 2009 A dissertation presented to Ryerson University and York University in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the program of Communication and Culture Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2017 © Daniel Joseph, 2017 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A DISSERTATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this dissertation. This is a true copy of the dissertation, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this dissertation to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this dissertation by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I understand that my dissertation may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract DISTRIBUTING PRODUCTIVE PLAY: A MATERIALIST ANALYSIS OF STEAM Daniel Joseph Doctor of Philosophy Ryerson University, 2017 Valve Corporation’s digital game distribution platform, Steam, is the largest distributor of games on personal computers, analyzed here as a site where control over the production, design and use of digital games is established. Steam creates and exercises processes and techniques such as monopolization and enclosure over creative products, online labour, and exchange among game designers. Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding framework places communication at the centre of the political economy, here of digital commodities distributed and produced by online platforms like Steam. -
Polygonal Modeling: the Aestheticization of Identity
Polygonal Modeling: The Aestheticization of Identity Chris Kerich University of California, Santa Cruz [email protected] ABSTRACT Starting from the assumption that the skin is a complex organ that carries with it a depth and cultural history that cannot be easily understood, it follows that one must also come to reckon with the technologies that are used to represent skin in digital formats. By far, the dominant computational paradigm for representing 3D objects of any kind is “polygonal modeling”, a system which represents 3D objects as the combination of two things: a mesh and a texture, also known as a “skin”. This seemingly innocuous technological paradigm carries with it important ideological, political messages about identity and visual representation. I approach the analysis of these messages in three ways. First, I briefly examine the history of computer graphics, and polygonal modeling in particular, to show how the engineering values of efficiency and functionality ultimately drove and determined the development of polygonal modeling, and emphasize the cultural and critical reflection absent from that development. Next, I examine cultural practices surrounding 3D models in video games, specifically players skinning characters and the economy of skins, to show how the affordances of polygonal modeling as a paradigm lend themselves to the aestheticization and commodification of identity in digital spheres, advancing a neoliberal ideology that holds identity as an aesthetic commodity to be bought and sold. While it’s unlikely that this technology will radically transform in the near future, it’s important to identify, and reflect on, the assumptions that underlie it and the ideological effects it has. -
Dark Souls™ Series By: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc
1 Contents Introduction . 3 Character Activations . 22 Overview . 22 Game Contents . 4 Character Movement . 22 Setup . 8 Character Attacks . 22 Initial Setup . 8 Enemy Activations . 24 Setup After the Mini Boss . 9 Overview . 24 Tiles and Nodes . 10 Enemy Movement . 24 The Basics . 10 Enemy Attacks . 25 Node Movement . 10 Boss Encounters . 26 Range . 10 Boss Basics . 26 Node Model Limits . 10 Boss Data Cards . 26 Characters . 11 Behaviour Cards . 27 Character Boards . 11 Boss Arcs . 27 Estus Flask Tokens . 11 Starting a Boss Encounter . 28 Luck Tokens . 11 Ending a Boss Encounter . 28 Equipment . 12 Boss Activations . 29 Equipment Cards . 12 Overview . 29 Upgrade Cards . 12 Boss Attacks . 29 Equipment Modifiers . 12 Boss Movement . 29 Embers . 12 Boss Activation Example . 30 The Bonfire Tile . 13 Post-Game Ritual . 31 Home Base . 13 Blacksmith Andre . 14 The Firekeeper . 15 Resting at the Bonfire . 15 Exploration . 16 Into the Dungeon . 16 The Fog Gate . 16 Campaign Rules . 32 Introduction . 32 Encounter Setup . 17 Encounter Cards . 17 Rules of the Campaign . 33 Terrain . 17 Setup . 33 Trap Tokens . 18 Adding and Dropping Players . 33 Encounter Setup Example . 18 Dashing Through . 33 Sparks . 33 Encounters . 19 Progressing through The Basics . 19 the Campaign . 33 Activating Models . 19 The Bonfire Tile . 33 Ending an Encounter . 19 Campaign Scenarios Combat Basics . 20 Using the Core Set . 34 Target versus Hit . 20 The Endurance Bar . 20 The First Journey . 34 Enemy Data Cards . 20 The Coiled Sword . 36 Pushing . 21 Conditions . 21 Campaign -
A Brief History of Esports Betting and Skin Gambling
A brief history of esports betting and skin gambling What this article is about Electronic sports (esports) are competitive video Why is this article important? game matches. Esports are like professional sports. This article reviews and summarizes current The matches take place between skilled players or knowledge on electronic sports (esports) and skin teams. They can be viewed online or in-person with betting. The research highlights the increasing large audiences. Esports are organized events and its popularity of these newer forms of gambling. It athletes can take on celebrity status. shows that young males are more likely to engage Esports has existed since the 1980s. It has grown in esports and skin betting. Young people are also exponentially since 2011 with the launch of Twitch. exposed to advertisements for these activities. Twitch is a live-streaming platform for esports. In Esports and skin gambling may increase problem 2019, there were 454 million viewers and esports gambling. This article highlights the changes in made a total of $1.1 billion. Individuals who watch esports and skin gambling market. It also discusses esports tend to be younger and male. industry and government responses to concerns about these activities, particularly related to Today, many sports betting companies allow people underage gambling. to bet on esports. Also, people can gamble on esports through unregulated sites using skins. Skins are virtual search covered papers published in English from 2000 video game items. They are purely cosmetic and do to March 2019. not provide in-game advantages. Skins are collectible The authors found 10 journal articles and 10 and range from common to rare. -
Comparison of Esports and Traditional Sports Consumption Motives by Donghun Lee, Ball State University and Linda J
Comparison of eSports and Traditional Sports Consumption Motives by Donghun Lee, Ball State University and Linda J. Schoenstedt, and in turn, has boosted eSports consumption. Consequently, Xavier University multimedia outlets cover more eSports games and potential investors have paid more attention to this market segment as Abstract a growing sponsorship opportunity. Global companies such as With recognition of the need for studying eSports in this Samsung and Microsoft have been sponsoring the World Cyber interactive digital communication era, this study explored 14 Games at event and team levels. Corporate sponsors have jumped motivational factors affecting the time spent on eSports gaming. into the online advertising industry because online games have Using a sample of 515 college students and athletic event become a common promotional venue in which brands get repeated attendees, we further compared eSports game patterns to their exposure to an avid target market (Chaney, Lin, & Chaney, 2004). non-eSport or traditional sport involvements (game participation, Electronic sports have, in recent years, become a more popular game attendance, sports viewership, sports readership, sports form of leisure activity for many people. Based on the units sold listenership, Internet usage specific to sports, and purchase of in 2007, sports video games (including auto racing) comprised team merchandise). Multiple regression results indicated that more than 22% of the entire video game industry (Entertainment competition and skill had a statistically significant impact on the Software Association, 2008). This number rose to 44.7% if ‘action’ time spent on eSports games while peer pressure had marginal genre was included. Among the list of the top 20 popular video significance. -
Shopping for Game Mechanics
Shopping for Game Mechanics Tiago Machado, Ivan Bravi, Zhu Wang, Andy Nealen, Julian Togelius New York University {tiago.machado, ivan.bravi, zhu.wang, nealen, julian.togelius}@nyu.edu ABSTRACT Recommender systems are very common nowadays, from shopping websites to social net- works, from map routing systems to entertainment stream services. We use recommender systems as an inspiration to create an AI Game Design Assisted tool which recommends game elements, such as sprites and mechanics, during the development process. Sugges- tions are based on similarities between games and freely inspired by game analysis studies. The tool is based on the Video Game Description Language. Keywords Recommender Systems, AI Game Design Assisted Tool, Game Analysis Studies INTRODUCTION Recommender systems are very common nowadays. Practically every system has its own way to suggest users to be friends with, movies to watch, or something to buy. It is possible to find recommender systems in the game industry as well, although they focus on suggesting games to the user, based on the games she or her friends played before (newgrounds.com 2016). In this work, we describe a recommender system designed to assist developers, by sug- gesting VGDL game mechanics (Ebner et al. 2013). Our methods are inspired by Game Analysis studies, which describe some methods commonly used in games’ pre-production phase. Our system uses the games in the GVG-AI framework game library as its knowledge base (Perez et al. 2015). Every time a user requests suggestions, it provides recommenda- tions by comparing the current game with the games in the library. Two types of sugges- tions are provided based on two search paradigms: the item-based search and the user-based search. -
How Do Loot Boxes Make Money? an Analysis of a Very Large Dataset of Real Chinese CSGO Loot Box Openings
How do loot boxes make money? An analysis of a very large dataset of real Chinese CSGO loot box openings David Zendle, University of York* Elena Petrovskaya, University of York Heather Wardle, University of Glasgow *corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Loot boxes are a form of video game monetisation that shares formal similarities with gambling. There are concerns that loot box revenues are disproportionately drawn from a small percentage of heavily-involved individuals, as is the case with gambling, leading to the potential for financial harm. In this paper we analyse a dataset of 1,469,913 loot box purchases from 386,269 separate Chinese users of the game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The Gini coefficient was used to measure the distribution of spending, and how much spending was concentrated within top percentiles. It estimated the concentration of spending amongst loot box openers as lower than observed elsewhere amongst gamblers (95CI: 63.76% - 64.26%). However, the majority of loot box revenue is drawn from the top 10% of players, with 1% alone responsible for 26.33% of all revenue. Overall, this research provides a crucial first step in understanding the financial consequences of loot box monetisation. Introduction Loot boxes are items in video games that may be purchased for real-world money, but which contains randomised contents of uncertain value. Loot boxes are extraordinarily widespread in video games: The majority of top-grossing mobile games contain loot boxes, and the majority of play sessions on desktop take place in a game that features loot boxes1,2.