Kim Kardashian Hollywood CSP

Language

1) What is the objective when playing the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood game?
The objective of Kim Kardashian : Hollywood is tyo become an A-list celebrity

2) What is an A-list celebrity? Why is it important in Kim Kardashian: Hollywood?
An A-list celebrity is a household name or a celebrity which most people have heard of, have a strong opinion on and a person in which the majority of people could name a peice of their work

3) How do you download the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood game?
 This game can be downloaded on the app-store on apple devices and the play- store on android devices via phone or tablet.

4) What is the narrative or storyline of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood? Where is it set?
The narrative of the game follows your charecter, a young hopeful trying to make it as a celebrity complete tasks to get them closer to stardom. It is set mostly in North America in luxury locations like Downtown LA, Hollywood and Beverly Hills but as you advance in the game you can fly to places like Sydney, Florence and Dubai.

5) What characters can you play as? What characters appear in the game?

You can play as either a male or a female of any race that is supposed to represent the player, all kinds of celebrities appear in the game from E- listers to A- listers. A key D-lister in the game is D-lister Willow Pape, your arch rival that is determined to destroy your reputation as revenge because she believes your charecter flirted with her boyfriend.

Audience

1) Who is the intended audience for the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game? Why do you think this?

Although at first glance, one would assume the target audience is majority female adults, I think the target audience is majority female young preteens and teenagers because in the advert's small print it says that the play should ask the credit/debit card holder's permission before buying virtual goods or experiences in the game which means that it is targeted towards children.
ed towards an audience which doesn't have control over money and so has to be under the age of 18.

2) What audience pleasures are provided by the game? Use Blumler & Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory.
Diversion and entertainment,  because it transports the player into the world of stardom instead of their monogomous every day life. Information and education because the player actually learns about the way in which celebrity couples for example are used to boost fame as swell as social media feuds. 3) Why is the game so addictive for audiences?

In higher levels when completing a task that is bound to increase fame and one runs out of energy, the player is drawn back to the game after a certain amount of time because they want to finish the task and if they don't, there are negative cons
equences like bad reviws on social media which leads to the loss of fans which will make it harder for the player to achieve the goal of becoming an A-list celebrity.Read this article from Forbes on why the Kim Kardashian game is so successful. If the website is blocked in school, you can access the text of the article here.

4) Why does James Liu think Kim Kardashian: Hollywood is so successful?
James Liu thinks Kim Kardshian \Hollywood is successful because of its many game features that make it addictive, such as the timer feature that makes players want to come back when their energy is refilled to complete tasks.***5) What does James Liu suggest is the reason players keep coming back to the game?
***
Representations

1) What representations of women can be found in Kim Kardashian: Hollywood?
Women are represented as self-centred, shallow, obsessed with their appearance (physical and how they appear in public) and in some ways dependant to men as the rise to fame is made easier if you have a boyfriend who is more famous than you but in some ways empowering because you can network with other powerful women or date a woman to rise to fame, so it isn't neccesary to use a man to become more famous.

2) What representations of race, ethnicity or sexuality can be found in the game?
The game is very diverse, you have the option to enter an interracial couple or a same sex couple and you can choose from many skin tones and one of the free default hairstyles in an afro hairstyle where usually you would have to earn and buy this 'privellige' in other similar games.3) How does the game both reinforce and subvert stereotypes in the media?

4) What does the game suggest regarding modern perceptions of celebrity and how to get famous?

The game suggests that in modern society you don't need any particular talent in order to get famous but rather engage in twitter feuds and fi

5) How might someone criticise the representation of celebrity in Kim Kardashian: Hollywood?

Your avatar becomes famous through reality television, advertising and modelling shoots rather than being a talanted actor/actress a talented entertainer- a singer or dancer or an athlete which sjows that now many people are famous for no reason, many people may have that opinion of Kim Kardashian herself.
Industries

1) How much does Kim Kardashian: Hollywood cost?
 The game is free to download but there are many adverts inbetween tasks and many in app purchases and sponsorships, for example to get more stars the player can play other games or promote a certain brand to get the stars to buy designer clothing or an apartment or a pet. 2) How does the game make money?

3) What subscriptions are available to Kim Kardashian: Hollywood?
The bronze silver and gold supscriptions are available and these give the player outfits, stars, money and enery=gy to make their rise to stardom easier.4) How was Kim Kardashian: Hollywood marketed and promoted?

5) How does Kim Kardashian: Hollywood use media convergence to cross-promote the game and the Kardashian brand?


Grade 8/9 extension tasks: reading and response

Read this Independent article on the Kardashians and celebrity culture. Why does the academic Dr Meredith Jones think the Kardashians are important to study?

Read this Stylecaster article on 5 things we learned playing Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. How does the game encourage players so spend real money on in-app purchases?

Read this article on Glu Mobile, the game developer behind Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. What does the article say about targeting female gamers and using celebrity to sell the game?

Read this Guardian article on a Kardashian controversy regarding promoting products on Instagram. Why do some people regard Kardashian as a "toxic influence"?