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Masterarbeit Masterarbeit Strategische Integration von User Generated Content in Geschäftsmodelle in der Videospielbranche von: Karin Bartl, BA mm161809 Begutachter: FH-Prof. Dr. Andreas Gebesmair Zweitbegutachterin: FH-Prof. Mag. (FH) Dr. Johanna Grüblbauer St. Pölten, am 16.05.2018 Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung Ich versichere, dass - ich diese Masterarbeit selbständig verfasst, andere als die angegebenen Quellen und Hilfsmittel nicht benutzt und mich auch sonst keiner unerlaubten Hilfe bedient habe. - ich dieses Masterarbeitsthema bisher weder im Inland noch im Ausland einem Begutachter/einer Begutachterin zur Beurteilung oder in irgendeiner Form als Prüfungsarbeit vorgelegt habe. Diese Arbeit stimmt mit der vom Begutachter/von der Begutachterin beurteilten Arbeit überein. ............................. ........................................... Ort, Datum Unterschrift I Zusammenfassung Vorliegende Arbeit mit dem Titel „Strategische Integration von User Generated Content in Geschäftsmodelle in der Videospielbranche“ befasst sich mit Möglichkeiten Prosuming in der Videospielbranche unternehmerisch zu nutzen. Anhand von Experteninterviews/Expertinneninterviews aus der österreichischen Videospielentwicklungsbranche, sowie vier ausgewählten Fallstudien zu unterschiedlichen Strategien der Nutzung von User Generated Content, wurden die beiden Forschungsfragen „Welche Strategien verfolgen Videospielsoftwareproduzenten/Videospielsoftwareproduzentinnen beim Umgang mit User Generated Content?“ und „Anhand welcher Faktoren entscheiden Videospielunternehmen über eine mögliche Einbindung von User Generated Content?“ beantwortet. Zur Beantwortung der ersten Forschungsfrage wurden durch theoretische Fachliteratur, sowie praxisnahe Experteninterviews/Expertinneninterviews, mehrere potentielle Einbindungspunkte von Nutzern/Nutzerinnen im Geschäftsmodell von Videospielunternehmen aufgezeigt. Durch die durchgeführten Fallstudien und Gespräche ergab sich, dass Videospielunternehmen unterschiedliche Strategien anwenden und sich keine verallgemeinerbare Strategie formulieren lässt, nach der Unternehmen User Generated Content optimal nutzen können. Dies liegt zum einen daran, dass Geschäftsmodelle in der Videospielbranche stark variieren und Strategien projektbezogen wechseln, zum anderen kann nicht bestimmt werden, ob und zu welchem Grad User Generated Content zum Erfolg eines Spiels beiträgt. Daher wurde im Zuge der zweiten Forschungsfrage erhoben, welche Faktoren Unternehmen in ihrer Entscheidung, ob und wie User Generated Content genutzt wird, beeinflussen. In den geführten Experteninterviews/Expertinneninterviews wurden als Einflussfaktoren die verfügbaren Ressourcen, die individuellen Geschäftsmodelle und Ziele eines Unternehmens, ob ein Spiel in Eigen- oder Fremdproduktion entwickelt wird, technische Möglichkeiten und Art des Spiels, das Engagement der Community, sowie eine generelle Abwägung der Vorteile und Nachteile von User Generated Content genannt. II Abstract The following thesis „Strategic Integration of User Generated Content in Business Models within the Videogame Industry” deals with corporate opportunities of employing prosumerism in the videogame industry. The research questions “Which strategies regarding User Generated Content are pursued by videogame producers?” and “Which factors influence videogame producers in their decision on integrating User Generated Content?” were answered through expert interviews with Austrian game developers as well as four selected case studies of distinctive corporate User Generated Content strategies. In order to answer the first research question potential user integration opportunities in videogame business models were shown based on theoretical scientific literature as well as practical expert interviews. Through analysing the interviews and selected case studies it became apparent that videogame companies make use of varying strategies. It is not possible to establish one general strategy which enables companies to make optimal use of User Generated Content. This is due to distinctive business models and project-based strategies that may vary depending on the game. Furthermore, it is not possible to analyse to which extent User Generated Content plays a part in the success of a game. Therefore, the second research question illustrates which aspects are taken into consideration when deciding whether to make use of User Generated Content. In the course of the expert interviews the mentioned influence aspects were the available resources, the individual business model and strategies of a company, whether the game is produced by the developing studio itself or in commission for a publishing company, technical possibilities and the game genre, engagement of the community and a consideration of advantages and disadvantages of User Generated Content. III Inhaltsverzeichnis 1. Einleitung ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Begriffserläuterung ..................................................................................... 2 1.2. Forschungsfragen und Forschungsdesign ................................................. 3 2. Partizipative Videospielkultur ............................................................................ 7 2.1. Spieler/Spielerinnen als soziale Community ............................................ 10 2.2. Arten von User Generated Content in Videospielen ................................ 15 2.3. Modifikationen .......................................................................................... 17 2.3.1. Begriffsabgrenzungen ....................................................................... 18 2.3.2. Die Modding-Szene ........................................................................... 21 2.3.3. Software Development Kits und Editor-Games ................................. 23 2.3.4. Plattformspezifische Unterschiede .................................................... 26 3. Unternehmerische Vorteile von User Generated Content .............................. 31 3.1. Verlängerung des Produktlebenszyklus ................................................... 32 3.2. Kundenbindung durch Community-Bildung .............................................. 34 3.3. Content-Beschaffung ............................................................................... 35 3.4. Kosten- und Erlösvorteile ......................................................................... 37 3.5. Beta-Versionen und Perpetual Beta ......................................................... 40 3.6. Personalsuche ......................................................................................... 44 4. Unternehmerische Unsicherheiten von User Generated Content ................... 45 4.1. Rechtliche Lage ....................................................................................... 45 4.2. Unerwünschte Inhalte .............................................................................. 50 4.3. Modifikationen als Konkurrenz für professionelle Videospiele ................. 52 5. Geschäftsmodelle ........................................................................................... 54 5.1. Die Videospielbranche ............................................................................. 55 5.1.1. Software- und Hardware-Produzenten/-Produzentinnen ................... 57 5.1.2. Einflussfaktoren der Videospielbranche ............................................ 59 5.2. Geschäftsmodelle von Softwareproduzenten /Softwareproduzentinnen .. 61 5.2.1. Leistungsspektrum ............................................................................ 62 5.2.2. Wertschöpfungskette ......................................................................... 63 5.2.3. Schlüsselressourcen, Schlüsselaktivitäten und Kernkompetenzen ... 65 IV 5.2.4. Erlösmodell und Kostenstruktur ......................................................... 66 5.2.5. Geschäftsmodell von Spieleentwicklern/Spieleentwicklerinnen ......... 68 5.2.6. Geschäftsmodell eines Publishers..................................................... 69 5.3. Einbindung von Nutzern/Nutzerinnen in Geschäftsmodelle ..................... 71 6. Zwischenfazit .................................................................................................. 74 7. Fallstudien ...................................................................................................... 76 7.1. Fallstudie Mojang AB ............................................................................... 79 7.1.1. Einstellung zu User Generated Content ............................................ 81 7.1.2. Fazit: User Generated Content in Strategie und Geschäftsmodell .... 84 7.2. Fallstudie Bethesda Softworks LLC. ........................................................ 86 7.2.1. Einstellung zu User Generated Content ............................................ 88 7.2.2. Fazit: User Generated Content in Strategie und Geschäftsmodell .... 93 7.3. Fallstudie Electronic Arts Inc. ................................................................... 95 7.3.1. Einstellung zu User Generated Content ............................................ 97 7.3.2. Fazit: User Generated Content in Strategie und Geschäftsmodell .. 100 7.4. Fallstudie Nintendo Co. Ltd. ................................................................... 101 7.4.1. Einstellung zu User Generated Content .......................................... 103 7.4.2. Fazit: User Generated Content in Strategie und Geschäftsmodell .. 107 7.5. Fazit Fallstudien
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