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