[NOTE: To register for ESPT courses, refer to the instructions in the comments on the course schedule.]
INTRODUCTION TO ESPORTS MANAGEMENT ~ Between 2018 and 2019, the number of jobs in esports nearly doubled – growing a staggering 185%. In addition, there are numerous business jobs elsewhere in the games industry, including roles in distribution, research, sales, and marketing. The explosive growth in esports – and the attendant growth within the games industry which it has field – has created a demand for business professionals with a solid understanding of the nuances of the industry. This course provides students with an understanding of the complexities specific to managing esports teams and leagues. This course has weekly assignments and includes the option to attend live Zoom class sessions. One weekly 90-minute class session will be scheduled with the instructor during the first week of class.
INTRODUCTION TO GAMES ~ Of all the new media forms that have emerged since digital technologies have become ubiquitous in our social and cultural environment, videogames could be described as the form that is most fundamentally “native” to the computer. As a form of entertainment, they have introduced new relationships between audiences/players and the media with which they interact, and present unique challenges to producers, critics and the public at large. There are two broad goals for this course. The first is to provide an overview of digital games as a cultural form. This involves a historical account of their emergence in the mid-twentieth century, an enquiry into theories of play and their relationship to culture, the origins and evolution of game genres, and the changing nature of game-development and the game industry to the present day. The second is to learn contextual and formal methods for the analysis of digital games and gameplay. The coursework involves a number of activities: reading key texts and textbooks relevant to the topic, participating in small-group discussion exercises, occasional quizzes based on reading material, group and individual game history and analysis presentations, and finally a mock-pitch for an original game design. No programming or game design experience is required for this course. This course has weekly assignments and includes the option to attend live Zoom class sessions. One weekly 90-minute class session will be scheduled with the instructor during the first week of class.
CONVENTION, EVENT, AND TRADE SHOW PLANNING ~ One of the major ways in which games are marketed to consumers is the convention. Shows like the Tokyo Game Show, PAX and E3 attract audiences ranging from 60,000 - 300,000 and serve as one of the best opportunities for game studios to generate excitement and favorable word-of-mouth for upcoming projects. Successfully executing a company presence at one of these shows requires a working understanding of budgeting, goal-setting, demo creation, logistics, staffing, merchandising, and ROI evaluation, all topics covered in this course. This course has weekly assignments and includes the option to attend live Zoom class sessions. One weekly 90-minute class session will be scheduled with the instructor during the first week of class.
Prerequisite: ESPT 10500
DISTRIBUTION OF GAMES:THE ROLE OF THE PUBLISHER ~ The role of a publisher in the games industry is to ensure that a game can get in front of its audience successfully. To do that, a publisher must consider a variety of distribution strategies and channels. This course explains the role of a publisher in game distribution and details the various channels by which a game can be distributed. This course has weekly assignments and includes the option to attend live Zoom class sessions. One weekly 90-minute class session will be scheduled with the instructor during the first week of class.
Prerequisite: ESPT 10500 and MKTG 15500