RSSSims Online closing after more than five years
By Tim Conneally | Published April 30, 2008, 11:40 AM
In February, EA's six-year-old Sims Online MMO underwent a serious format change and re-branding, becoming a free-to-play world called EA-Land. Already, the team responsible for EA-Land has announced its termination on August 1.
Yesterday, in the official EA-Land blog, it was announced that the "lifetime of the game has drawn to an end, and now we will be focusing on new ideas and other innovative concepts in the games arena." Resources consumed by EA-Land/The Sims Online will be focused on "future games."
EA's reasons for changing the game's name and promptly killing it are currently unclear. Sims Online developer Luc Barthelet said in his own blog announcement, "Decisions such as these are never easy and the rationale for closing EA-Land is particularly complex."
Development of the improved Sims Online began in 2007, re-engineering the game's architecture to DirectX 9, and opening the ability for user-customized content -- a feature which the game originally lacked, that some felt negatively impacted its success.
Paying subscribers with accounts dating up to April 29, 2008 will receive one of two compensatory gifts from EA: $15 off any game at The EA Store or three months of Club Pogo subscription time.
lol EA kills yet another franchise... Can't say I'm surprised. EA, the place great games go to die...
Score: 0
I have been a paying member for 5 years. What makes me angry is that EA Games spent several months re-designing the game to make it better. During this time we were rarely able to play, but were still paying $9.99 per month. I was patient. When the new and improved game was launched a month or so ago, people were able to exchange real money for Sim money(pretend money). EA promised that game players could "cash in" the pretend money for real money at any time. Now, they will not refund anyone for the money they bought which is now useless. Thank goodness I only spent $20 on this "refundable" pretend money. I will never buy an EA product again.
p.s. The game is still for sale online. Even Amazon has it for sale. I hope no one buys it since it will no longer be usefull after July 2008.
Score: 1
I am writing this letter in response to the disappointing news that EA-Land,
the online version from the Sims of Electronic Arts will be closing its virtual doors on August 1, 2008.
Even though I am an adult , I truly enjoy playing the game with my 2 boys (14 and 16 years).
EA-Land is also a genuinely safe place for kids to interact with each other.
It's nice to know that in these times of cyber bullying and cyber crime that there is such a place for kids to play.
Most importantly, I think most of us who play EA-Land would miss the friendships that have developed.
Even though most of us have never met and may never meet, EALand pals are true pals.
With EA-Land gone where do we turn?
Sure we can turn Second Life, WOW and even Pirates Online,
but the truth is, we all want to be a little selfish, we all want that great feeling that only TSO (Ea-Land) can provide us with.
The magic that we are Sims!! The magic there is a game without fights, sex, war and monsters!
Please help us and make Electronic Arts reconsider their decision to close EA-Land.
like we do on http://www.playercampaigns.com/
sincerely
Bienchen
Score: 0
I gope the "future games" bit is in reference to "Spore".
Score: 0
Yes, the focus that game receives is probably ridiculously lower than what would be necessary to have it released in any realistic time frame.
Score: 0
hmmm...havent heard that one.
Score: 0