| The free trial of the Sims Online game | | | | interesting and innovative features. |
| is currently undergoing a revision. Very | | | | That, however, is about to change. Luc |
| soon, according to EA, the free trial | | | | Barthelet announced in March 2007 that |
| will become permanent free play. Great | | | | he is re-involving himself in the game. |
| news for those of us who can't afford | | | | The forums have been consulted for the |
| the $9.99 a month for full play, but | | | | first time in years, and the Sims Online |
| what has brought about this change? | | | | world is in for a shake-up. |
| Well, put simply, EA stuffed up. The | | | | One of the first moves that EA are |
| Sims Online was released to the public | | | | making is to created new cities for |
| four years ago, and has earned itself a | | | | players to explore. They are also |
| relatively small user-base. The | | | | changing the logo, and have promised to |
| immensely popular game Second Life was | | | | close the loopholes that allow for the |
| released at the same time, and has gone | | | | money cheats. Registration will be |
| from strength to strength. Now, Second | | | | greatly simplified, and the free trial |
| Life is a very good game and plays to | | | | will become, soon, permanent free play. |
| different strengths to the Sims Online, | | | | Of course there will be limitations: |
| but the Sims comes from a franchise that | | | | only one choice of city for non-payers; |
| boasts the two highest selling games of | | | | only one avatar; less starting money. |
| all time. It shouldn't have been too | | | | Nonetheless, this is a real show of |
| hard for EA to come up with a game, | | | | commitment by EA, and will no doubt draw |
| then, that at least landed in the top | | | | in many new players. New players, paying |
| 10% of online games. And initially, they | | | | or not, will breathe life back into the |
| did. | | | | game, and that's got to be a good thing |
| At the beginning of January 2003, the | | | | for EA, whose image was looking a bit |
| Sims Online claimed over 100,000 active | | | | tarnished by its failure. |
| subscriptions, making it top of the list | | | | So why now? Well, the Sims 3 is due to |
| for online games. Sales soared, and EA | | | | be released in (possibly) 2008, which |
| projected 40,000 subscribers by the end | | | | might have something to do with it. |
| of the year. And then they gave up. Luc | | | | Nobody wants a dead goose on display |
| Barthelet, the Senior Vice President of | | | | when they're trying to build hype for |
| Electronic Arts, seemingly turned his | | | | their new product, and it's going to |
| back on the game, and bugs and | | | | take a while for the Sims Online to get |
| instabilities were left unresolved. | | | | back on track. This is a very promising |
| Cheats sprang up which allowed players | | | | (re-) start, though, and a very exciting |
| to get large amounts of Simoleons (the | | | | time to get into the world of the Sims |
| Sims Online currency), effectively | | | | Online. New features such as AvatarBook, |
| destroying the in-game economy and | | | | which works much like Facebook, will |
| rendering many of the objectives of the | | | | help to provoke interest, and could pull |
| game (such as employment) useless. | | | | in a very large audience indeed. Few |
| Before the cheats came out Simoleons | | | | people who have played the Sims games |
| could be sold on eBay for real money, | | | | haven't wondered what it would be like |
| which is one of the attractions to many | | | | to play with other people, but most have |
| new players, who want to believe that | | | | been put off by bad reviews or friends' |
| their actions within the game have some | | | | advice. Now that's all set to change, |
| sort of effect in the real world. | | | | and the community can only get stronger |
| So Second Life grew, and the Sims Online | | | | and stronger. The question, then, is not |
| - an online version of the most popular | | | | why EA are making these changes now, but |
| games of all time - sank into obscurity. | | | | why they didn't make them before. Now we |
| A few faithful users stuck with it, but | | | | can only play and wait, and hope this |
| most players left it well alone, instead | | | | time EA gets it right. |
| finding newer games with more | | | | |