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