@Jarsie9 "The other thing I want to mention is my suspicion that EA Mobile (formerly Maxis, formerly The Sims Studio) is deliberately sabotaging this iteration of The Sims in order to have an excuse to stop producing a PC version (they're lying if they're saying they're still going to support this PC title), in order to turn it into what they consider a more profitable game."
I said the same thing (and feel the same way)....I was told to get a tinfoil hat.
I don't know, I mean its their game. If they wanted to make it a mobile only platform and thought that was going to make them more money then they would just do it. They don't need anyone's permission or an excuse to do it. I happen to think that it would kill the series entirely, but if that's what they really want to do they certainly don't need any excuse other than "because we wanna" to go ahead and do it.
Except they know it won't sell with their huge, dedicated fanbase if they come out and say "we're going mobile, ain't nothing you can do about it". It's much easier to use social engineering to get players used to specific downgrades by rolling things out slowly and hoping that players will continue to spend money while getting retrained on the new, more profitable business model
Totally agree here. Wean us off the depth and onto paying more for less being the new 'normal'
Eh, I dunno. I agree they are certainly trying to pass off less content for more money hoping people won't notice, but attributing it all to some social engineering experiment to get people off PC gaming to go with their mobile platform desires just seems a bit beyond the imaginings of a group of developers that think having an "angry poop" is a major game feature.
If they really, truly believed that a mobile only game would earn them more money why would they care what older existing players think anyway? They would just do it, and if all the old players just quit on the spot I doubt, from the attitude shown in recent interviews, that they would even care.
Because they know the loyalty the sims has/had. They could have told us that this game wasn't designed for certain play styles but instead they promised things they haven't delivered to keep our preorders and purchases. That was no mistake.
It may not have anything to do with the developers and come from the management directives. We know how EA likes to seize trends and they are known for putting everything into one trend and late on when things may be starting to go out of fashion. There is no coincidence that the person in charge is heavily experienced in mobile and now EA has merged Maxis with the mobile department after dismantling Maxis Emeryville.
I mean look at how sandbox games are having a resurgence at the moment-and EA's biggest sandbox game they've turned it into a different type of game! Perhaps once the sandbox trend starts to go out of fashion we'll eventually get it back for the sims!
I think there are 2 different views at play here. EA wants to go mobile. That's their end game and where the money is. So they are trying to bring their profitable PC game to mobile. It worked for SimCity. It's working for Freeplay. Those in-app purchases add up.
Then there is Maxis. They want the younger crowd. Parties and angry poops and wooting before woohoo are aimed at then. They want the young, hip crowd. The ones who haven't played previous games and don't know what they're missing. And they want them less intelligent because it is easier to sell them garbage.
And we have the 2 world currently colliding. Us oldies are expendables. They will monetize this game, they just need us to go away so we stop writing negative articles and posting negative feedback for those impressionable youngsters to read. Then they can change the game without any repercussions.
I think there are 2 different views at play here. EA wants to go mobile. That's their end game and where the money is. So they are trying to bring their profitable PC game to mobile. It worked for SimCity. It's working for Freeplay. Those in-app purchases add up.
Then there is Maxis. They want the younger crowd. Parties and angry poops and wooting before woohoo are aimed at then. They want the young, hip crowd. The ones who haven't played previous games and don't know what they're missing. And they want them less intelligent because it is easier to sell them garbage.
And we have the 2 world currently colliding. Us oldies are expendables. They will monetize this game, they just need us to go away so we stop writing negative articles and posting negative feedback for those impressionable youngsters to read. Then they can change the game without any repercussions.
Agreed. They don't want people to challenge them and to hold them to what they say. It's like it's an imposition that people care!
I think there are 2 different views at play here. EA wants to go mobile. That's their end game and where the money is. So they are trying to bring their profitable PC game to mobile. It worked for SimCity. It's working for Freeplay. Those in-app purchases add up.
Then there is Maxis. They want the younger crowd. Parties and angry poops and wooting before woohoo are aimed at then. They want the young, hip crowd. The ones who haven't played previous games and don't know what they're missing. And they want them less intelligent because it is easier to sell them garbage.
And we have the 2 world currently colliding. Us oldies are expendables. They will monetize this game, they just need us to go away so we stop writing negative articles and posting negative feedback for those impressionable youngsters to read. Then they can change the game without any repercussions.
Well, I guess you can say I'm part of the "young hip crowd" this game is intended at, considering I, myself am a meddling angsty teen! But I can personally assure you that I'm with ya'll on this. I don't want my game to go to my phone. I want it to stay on my computer. I've been playing this game since apartment life and I don't like the direction it's headed.
The funny thing is I actually got rid of my Sims Freeplay game to have more room for PVZ 2. There are just some games that should not be made into mobile games. Sims is one of them and Rollercoaster tycoon was also another one.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Because they know the loyalty the sims has/had. They could have told us that this game wasn't designed for certain play styles but instead they promised things they haven't delivered to keep our preorders and purchases. That was no mistake.
Yeah, but that's gone now, they have to know that. Or they will as more and more EP's come out to what (I would anticipate to be) slumping sales. They know they've already po'ed and lost a lot of those folks.
It may not have anything to do with the developers and come from the management directives. We know how EA likes to seize trends and they are known for putting everything into one trend and late on when things may be starting to go out of fashion. There is no coincidence that the person in charge is heavily experienced in mobile and now EA has merged Maxis with the mobile department after dismantling Maxis Emeryville.
This could go either way. In the end though I guess I just see EA not caring so much about "how" that money is made so long as it is made. Is it someone from EA dictating a move to mobile or is it someone at Maxis convincing EA mobile is the way to go for the Sims? Honestly I think its a 50/50 chance either of those could be true.
I mean look at how sandbox games are having a resurgence at the moment-and EA's biggest sandbox game they've turned it into a different type of game! Perhaps once the sandbox trend starts to go out of fashion we'll eventually get it back for the sims!
LOL, you're probably right. I guess I would have thought the SC meltdown would have taught them some valuable lessons, but I've been wrong before I guess.
Because they know the loyalty the sims has/had. They could have told us that this game wasn't designed for certain play styles but instead they promised things they haven't delivered to keep our preorders and purchases. That was no mistake.
Yeah, but that's gone now, they have to know that. Or they will as more and more EP's come out to what (I would anticipate to be) slumping sales. They know they've already po'ed and lost a lot of those folks.
It may not have anything to do with the developers and come from the management directives. We know how EA likes to seize trends and they are known for putting everything into one trend and late on when things may be starting to go out of fashion. There is no coincidence that the person in charge is heavily experienced in mobile and now EA has merged Maxis with the mobile department after dismantling Maxis Emeryville.
This could go either way. In the end though I guess I just see EA not caring so much about "how" that money is made so long as it is made. Is it someone from EA dictating a move to mobile or is it someone at Maxis convincing EA mobile is the way to go for the Sims? Honestly I think its a 50/50 chance either of those could be true.
I mean look at how sandbox games are having a resurgence at the moment-and EA's biggest sandbox game they've turned it into a different type of game! Perhaps once the sandbox trend starts to go out of fashion we'll eventually get it back for the sims!
LOL, you're probably right. I guess I would have thought the SC meltdown would have taught them some valuable lessons, but I've been wrong before I guess.
And that is why I bought TS4 because I was sure they couldn't do it twice. Could kick myself.
I'm not sure that they have realised yet. Plenty of people have said they've bought everything so far then we're shocked at recent interviews and who said they weren't totally happy but we're buying in anticipation of better coming round the corner always. The retention rate will be interesting going forward but they won't release it anyway.
I doubt Maxis are driving the train into being under mobile, I'd guess it's more likely a strategy from EA.
I did my best the issue being I had a small amount of time on a deadline and a lot to cram in with a tight word limit. I'm pretty sure anyone in the know would realise the technological advances I refer to included open world (which by the way I grieve myself too!)
I did my best the issue being I had a small amount of time on a deadline and a lot to cram in with a tight word limit. I'm pretty sure anyone in the know would realise the technological advances I refer to included open world (which by the way I grieve myself too!)
@Jarsie9 "The other thing I want to mention is my suspicion that EA Mobile (formerly Maxis, formerly The Sims Studio) is deliberately sabotaging this iteration of The Sims in order to have an excuse to stop producing a PC version (they're lying if they're saying they're still going to support this PC title), in order to turn it into what they consider a more profitable game."
I said the same thing (and feel the same way)....I was told to get a tinfoil hat.
I don't know, I mean its their game. If they wanted to make it a mobile only platform and thought that was going to make them more money then they would just do it. They don't need anyone's permission or an excuse to do it. I happen to think that it would kill the series entirely, but if that's what they really want to do they certainly don't need any excuse other than "because we wanna" to go ahead and do it.
If they don't need excuses, why are they constantly using telemetry exactly for that? Telemetry, if neccessary at all, should be used to ask more specified questions to learn why people aren't using the implemented features.
Instead The Sims team uses them to excuse cuts in a "It is expensive to make and you don!t really want it anyway. Stop complaining"-kind of way.
I think there are 2 different views at play here. EA wants to go mobile. That's their end game and where the money is. So they are trying to bring their profitable PC game to mobile. It worked for SimCity. It's working for Freeplay. Those in-app purchases add up.
Then there is Maxis. They want the younger crowd. Parties and angry poops and wooting before woohoo are aimed at then. They want the young, hip crowd. The ones who haven't played previous games and don't know what they're missing. And they want them less intelligent because it is easier to sell them garbage.
And we have the 2 world currently colliding. Us oldies are expendables. They will monetize this game, they just need us to go away so we stop writing negative articles and posting negative feedback for those impressionable youngsters to read. Then they can change the game without any repercussions.
Well, I guess you can say I'm part of the "young hip crowd" this game is intended at, considering I, myself am a meddling angsty teen! But I can personally assure you that I'm with ya'll on this. I don't want my game to go to my phone. I want it to stay on my computer. I've been playing this game since apartment life and I don't like the direction it's headed.
I didn't mean you. I meant people that never played the games before TS4. Anyone who has played the previous games knows what they're missing. I mean, so many play styles were abandoned, almost everyone is missing something. Just some more than others.
I didn't mean you. I meant people that never played the games before TS4. Anyone who has played the previous games knows what they're missing. I mean, so many play styles were abandoned, almost everyone is missing something. Just some more than others.
I have noticed a pattern that most people who love TS4 never played the Sims 1 at all. Some seem to have played either the Sims 2 or the Sims 3 or both. But there seems to be quite a vast amount in which the Sims 4 is their first game. Anyway, just a pattern I've noticed on forums and elsewhere. There are a few that have play the Sims 1 and play the Sims 4, but not that many. Most quit playing the Sims 1 anyway.
But just interesting seeing the demographics of Simmers sometimes. There are some older Sims 4 players too.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
I think there are 2 different views at play here. EA wants to go mobile. That's their end game and where the money is. So they are trying to bring their profitable PC game to mobile. It worked for SimCity. It's working for Freeplay. Those in-app purchases add up.
Then there is Maxis. They want the younger crowd. Parties and angry poops and wooting before woohoo are aimed at then. They want the young, hip crowd. The ones who haven't played previous games and don't know what they're missing. And they want them less intelligent because it is easier to sell them garbage.
And we have the 2 world currently colliding. Us oldies are expendables. They will monetize this game, they just need us to go away so we stop writing negative articles and posting negative feedback for those impressionable youngsters to read. Then they can change the game without any repercussions.
Well, I guess you can say I'm part of the "young hip crowd" this game is intended at, considering I, myself am a meddling angsty teen! But I can personally assure you that I'm with ya'll on this. I don't want my game to go to my phone. I want it to stay on my computer. I've been playing this game since apartment life and I don't like the direction it's headed.
I didn't mean you. I meant people that never played the games before TS4. Anyone who has played the previous games knows what they're missing. I mean, so many play styles were abandoned, almost everyone is missing something. Just some more than others.
Ah, I see. Yeah I agree. EA is like Oprah in a way; "YOU get ignored, and YOU get ignored, YOU ALL GET IGNORED!"
Actually I wrote it because they asked me to. I did my best to cover the biggest issues I had learnt since being here.
Great article. Thank you. With the exception of mentioning open worlds, it describes exactly how I feel. It lists most of the reasons why I have NOT purchased the game. However, my Sims loyalty keeps me coming back to the forums looking for good news. Maybe someday.
I completely agree with everything you wrote, Hthr0120! Great article-thank you, sparkfairy!
@Jarsie9 "The other thing I want to mention is my suspicion that EA Mobile (formerly Maxis, formerly The Sims Studio) is deliberately sabotaging this iteration of The Sims in order to have an excuse to stop producing a PC version (they're lying if they're saying they're still going to support this PC title), in order to turn it into what they consider a more profitable game."
I said the same thing (and feel the same way)....I was told to get a tinfoil hat.
I don't know, I mean its their game. If they wanted to make it a mobile only platform and thought that was going to make them more money then they would just do it. They don't need anyone's permission or an excuse to do it. I happen to think that it would kill the series entirely, but if that's what they really want to do they certainly don't need any excuse other than "because we wanna" to go ahead and do it.
Except they know it won't sell with their huge, dedicated fanbase if they come out and say "we're going mobile, ain't nothing you can do about it". It's much easier to use social engineering to get players used to specific downgrades by rolling things out slowly and hoping that players will continue to spend money while getting retrained on the new, more profitable business model
Totally agree here. Wean us off the depth and onto paying more for less being the new 'normal'
Eh, I dunno. I agree they are certainly trying to pass off less content for more money hoping people won't notice, but attributing it all to some social engineering experiment to get people off PC gaming to go with their mobile platform desires just seems a bit beyond the imaginings of a group of developers that think having an "angry poop" is a major game feature.
If they really, truly believed that a mobile only game would earn them more money why would they care what older existing players think anyway? They would just do it, and if all the old players just quit on the spot I doubt, from the attitude shown in recent interviews, that they would even care.
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
I do wonder why that is why the Sims Freeplay is trying to be more appealing to family players and other play styles, so it gives a friendly push for Simmers to join the mobile market instead of the PC market. With all the expense talk, I could easily see Sims try to go into the mobile only market to cut costs.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
I do wonder why that is why the Sims Freeplay is trying to be more appealing to family players and other play styles, so it gives a friendly push for Simmers to join the mobile market instead of the PC market. With all the expense talk, I could easily see Sims try to go into the mobile only market to cut costs.
I tend to gloss over any Freeplay talk, so I don't know much about what the game offers, but what you said makes total sense in relation to the big sims picture.
I'm not shocked or hating on EA for trying to maximize profits. I'm sad and disappointed that this is no longer going to be a goto game. Honestly, between this and SC2013, I'm thinking I may need to stop gaming and start knitting. The fun:heartache ratio is way off.
@Jarsie9 "The other thing I want to mention is my suspicion that EA Mobile (formerly Maxis, formerly The Sims Studio) is deliberately sabotaging this iteration of The Sims in order to have an excuse to stop producing a PC version (they're lying if they're saying they're still going to support this PC title), in order to turn it into what they consider a more profitable game."
I said the same thing (and feel the same way)....I was told to get a tinfoil hat.
I don't know, I mean its their game. If they wanted to make it a mobile only platform and thought that was going to make them more money then they would just do it. They don't need anyone's permission or an excuse to do it. I happen to think that it would kill the series entirely, but if that's what they really want to do they certainly don't need any excuse other than "because we wanna" to go ahead and do it.
Except they know it won't sell with their huge, dedicated fanbase if they come out and say "we're going mobile, ain't nothing you can do about it". It's much easier to use social engineering to get players used to specific downgrades by rolling things out slowly and hoping that players will continue to spend money while getting retrained on the new, more profitable business model
Totally agree here. Wean us off the depth and onto paying more for less being the new 'normal'
Eh, I dunno. I agree they are certainly trying to pass off less content for more money hoping people won't notice, but attributing it all to some social engineering experiment to get people off PC gaming to go with their mobile platform desires just seems a bit beyond the imaginings of a group of developers that think having an "angry poop" is a major game feature.
If they really, truly believed that a mobile only game would earn them more money why would they care what older existing players think anyway? They would just do it, and if all the old players just quit on the spot I doubt, from the attitude shown in recent interviews, that they would even care.
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
This makes me so sad because I can see it happening. Until now I was appalled because I was shocked that they didn't seem to learn from the SimCity 2013 debacle. I think I get it now. They did learn, it's just their end goal is still the same. They're just trying a new way to implement the new "vision." They're treating us like the frog in the pot. Slowly raising the water temp bit by bit so that we don't notice it's boiling until too late.
They lost me with SimCity 2013. I wouldn't play Build-it if you paid me, Cities Skylines & the old SimCity games are much more enjoyable. It doesn't matter whether they tell me today, or let it slowly trickle out over months that they plan to push Sims players to mobile. I'll still walk. I guess I'll make sure that I'll always have a computer that can run Sims 2 & Sims 3, and hopefully there will be a competitor soon that appreciates the fans that EA takes for granted.
@Jarsie9 "The other thing I want to mention is my suspicion that EA Mobile (formerly Maxis, formerly The Sims Studio) is deliberately sabotaging this iteration of The Sims in order to have an excuse to stop producing a PC version (they're lying if they're saying they're still going to support this PC title), in order to turn it into what they consider a more profitable game."
I said the same thing (and feel the same way)....I was told to get a tinfoil hat.
I don't know, I mean its their game. If they wanted to make it a mobile only platform and thought that was going to make them more money then they would just do it. They don't need anyone's permission or an excuse to do it. I happen to think that it would kill the series entirely, but if that's what they really want to do they certainly don't need any excuse other than "because we wanna" to go ahead and do it.
Except they know it won't sell with their huge, dedicated fanbase if they come out and say "we're going mobile, ain't nothing you can do about it". It's much easier to use social engineering to get players used to specific downgrades by rolling things out slowly and hoping that players will continue to spend money while getting retrained on the new, more profitable business model
Totally agree here. Wean us off the depth and onto paying more for less being the new 'normal'
Eh, I dunno. I agree they are certainly trying to pass off less content for more money hoping people won't notice, but attributing it all to some social engineering experiment to get people off PC gaming to go with their mobile platform desires just seems a bit beyond the imaginings of a group of developers that think having an "angry poop" is a major game feature.
If they really, truly believed that a mobile only game would earn them more money why would they care what older existing players think anyway? They would just do it, and if all the old players just quit on the spot I doubt, from the attitude shown in recent interviews, that they would even care.
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
This makes me so sad because I can see it happening. Until now I was appalled because I was shocked that they didn't seem to learn from the SimCity 2013 debacle. I think I get it now. They did learn, it's just their end goal is still the same. They're just trying a new way to implement the new "vision." They're treating us like the frog in the pot. Slowly raising the water temp bit by bit so that we don't notice it's boiling until too late.
They lost me with SimCity 2013. I wouldn't play Build-it if you paid me, Cities Skylines & the old SimCity games are much more enjoyable. It doesn't matter whether they tell me today, or let it slowly trickle out over months that they plan to push Sims players to mobile. I'll still walk. I guess I'll make sure that I'll always have a computer that can run Sims 2 & Sims 3, and hopefully there will be a competitor soon that appreciates the fans that EA takes for granted.
Oh.... my..... Moses..... I can see it! I can totally see it now. I'd almost bet anything on it: this is their vision!!!! It has to be. Everything that they've been doing and everything that you said all line up and makes sense. All of the silence. The way the game is. This has to be it.
And if it is, if this is all that the Sims franchise is going to shape up to be. If this is all that The Sims franchise is going to say for itself in the end, then I'm out for good. I'll stick with the true PC Sims games and they can stick their tablet game right up their..... noses.
I tend to gloss over any Freeplay talk, so I don't know much about what the game offers, but what you said makes total sense in relation to the big sims picture.
I'm not shocked or hating on EA for trying to maximize profits. I'm sad and disappointed that this is no longer going to be a goto game. Honestly, between this and SC2013, I'm thinking I may need to stop gaming and start knitting. The fun:heartache ratio is way off.
It's an annoying time management and microtransaction spam game. You aren't missing much. Only difference is that it has babies not tied to cribs anymore and toddlers. There are nannies too.
This is the teaser for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HX12v5mxJM
Knitting is fun. I do enjoy that as well as crocheting. But yes the attention given to Freeplay for making it have more family play in it makes me sad. I mean I'm happy family players have that game to play, but I thought by now the PC version would surpass the mobile version of the Sims.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
I tend to gloss over any Freeplay talk, so I don't know much about what the game offers, but what you said makes total sense in relation to the big sims picture.
I'm not shocked or hating on EA for trying to maximize profits. I'm sad and disappointed that this is no longer going to be a goto game. Honestly, between this and SC2013, I'm thinking I may need to stop gaming and start knitting. The fun:heartache ratio is way off.
It's an annoying time management and microtransaction spam game. You aren't missing much. Only difference is that it has babies not tied to cribs anymore and toddlers. There are nannies too.
This is the teaser for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HX12v5mxJM
Knitting is fun. I do enjoy that as well as crocheting. But yes the attention given to Freeplay for making it have more family play in it makes me sad. I mean I'm happy family players have that game to play, but I thought by now the PC version would surpass the mobile version of the Sims.
I wouldn't put that junk on my mobile if they PAID ME!
Would I play a pc game such as that... with better graphics and gameplay options yes.
I don't play games on my Phone. My Mobile phone is not to be wasted on a game!
The article is awesome. Thank you. They can move the Sims to mobile all they want but this simmer will not be joining them. I play games on my computer - not my phone - When and if they release expansion packs that include a city and supernaturals, I will buy them but nothing else.
If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all. Live in your Truth.
@Jarsie9 "The other thing I want to mention is my suspicion that EA Mobile (formerly Maxis, formerly The Sims Studio) is deliberately sabotaging this iteration of The Sims in order to have an excuse to stop producing a PC version (they're lying if they're saying they're still going to support this PC title), in order to turn it into what they consider a more profitable game."
I said the same thing (and feel the same way)....I was told to get a tinfoil hat.
I don't know, I mean its their game. If they wanted to make it a mobile only platform and thought that was going to make them more money then they would just do it. They don't need anyone's permission or an excuse to do it. I happen to think that it would kill the series entirely, but if that's what they really want to do they certainly don't need any excuse other than "because we wanna" to go ahead and do it.
Except they know it won't sell with their huge, dedicated fanbase if they come out and say "we're going mobile, ain't nothing you can do about it". It's much easier to use social engineering to get players used to specific downgrades by rolling things out slowly and hoping that players will continue to spend money while getting retrained on the new, more profitable business model
Totally agree here. Wean us off the depth and onto paying more for less being the new 'normal'
Eh, I dunno. I agree they are certainly trying to pass off less content for more money hoping people won't notice, but attributing it all to some social engineering experiment to get people off PC gaming to go with their mobile platform desires just seems a bit beyond the imaginings of a group of developers that think having an "angry poop" is a major game feature.
If they really, truly believed that a mobile only game would earn them more money why would they care what older existing players think anyway? They would just do it, and if all the old players just quit on the spot I doubt, from the attitude shown in recent interviews, that they would even care.
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
This makes me so sad because I can see it happening. Until now I was appalled because I was shocked that they didn't seem to learn from the SimCity 2013 debacle. I think I get it now. They did learn, it's just their end goal is still the same. They're just trying a new way to implement the new "vision." They're treating us like the frog in the pot. Slowly raising the water temp bit by bit so that we don't notice it's boiling until too late.
They lost me with SimCity 2013. I wouldn't play Build-it if you paid me, Cities Skylines & the old SimCity games are much more enjoyable. It doesn't matter whether they tell me today, or let it slowly trickle out over months that they plan to push Sims players to mobile. I'll still walk. I guess I'll make sure that I'll always have a computer that can run Sims 2 & Sims 3, and hopefully there will be a competitor soon that appreciates the fans that EA takes for granted.
Oh.... my..... Moses..... I can see it! I can totally see it now. I'd almost bet anything on it: this is their vision!!!! It has to be. Everything that they've been doing and everything that you said all line up and makes sense. All of the silence. The way the game is. This has to be it.
And if it is, if this is all that the Sims franchise is going to shape up to be. If this is all that The Sims franchise is going to say for itself in the end, then I'm out for good. I'll stick with the true PC Sims games and they can stick their tablet game right up their..... noses.
Yes, they know exactly what they're doing. More and more fans are starting to open their eyes to this. Sure, they're still committed to PC gaming or whatever they're exact words were but then, yet again, things (will) change. I recall many people upset with the "complainers" saying that pools were brought back and to look at all the stuff they added and clearly they're listening, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if (like said in another thread) they've been holding onto toddlers all this time and LB leaving was the time to roll it out and make RF look a bit like a rock star, lol. Distract people with the new shiny object of the month and hope most of them don't notice what's really going on or how limiting their strong foundation truly is.
Not all games need to be on mobile! We don't need to be connected in all games we play! This game especially should not be suffering through this. This is the type of stuff that makes me not want to play video games at all. Every game I see that looks interesting, even on console, I need to connect online to do or get something cool, and it's like, "Well why didn't you add that to the game to begin with?" Certain online features I get, but at some point it gets ridiculous.
If they want to make a Sims Mobile or Sims Tablet game or whatever, be my guest. I won't be buying that. But keep it separate from the PC game. I recall a lot of questions about mobile gaming on that survey they sent me shortly after I tried the Sims 4. Yes, I own a laptop, I even play Sims on my laptop, but I don't play games like that on my smartphone, I don't even own a tablet. Certain games I play should not have the ability to jump from my computer, to my tablet, to my phone. This is one of those games for me. I recall a question like that on the survey as well, and my thought was, "Well how cr.appy is the game I'm playing on my computer if it can also be played on my smart phone?" Imagine playing The Sims 2 or The Sims 3 on your PC then picking up where you left off on your tablet and/or your smartphone. I imagined it. I can't picture the quality being all that great. And what does that say about how connected I have to be to do all that? Or better yet, how connected they'll force us to be? No, thank you. I'll pass.
If that's the route they decide to stick to and The Sims 5 (should it come to be) ends up like that, I'll just keep my money. Hopefully someone else will see just how big an opportunity it is like they did after EA/Maxis screwed up with SC2013 and get to work, no pun intended. I wish all of us could put our heads and resources together and make a truly great life simulation game. It's ridiculous that quality overall is taking a hit so they can rake in more cash. I knew long before I even tried The Sims 4 that I most likely would not like it for a multiple reasons, the tablet game feel being part of it, and I was wrong. I thought I'd like it a bit more than I actually did. Those graphics. I gave them more credit than I should've.
I thought I'd be able to tolerate TS4 better but to the points above, I never really liked mobile games. The only "mobile games" on my phone are tic tac toe and a word search, a few of the only things I can tolerate. And I never saw the appeal in a tablet. I can't shove it in my pocket, I don't carry a purse, so should I use it I'd only be at home and if that's the case, I'm going for my computer or game console. Why would I like this game?
I totally agree @Anenome7@Seamoan@Cabelle1863 and @ApparentlyAwesome and it's so sad to see. I just wish I had been more sensible and not listened to their promises. Like someone in the comments said-we should have waited to buy until after they fixed it. But he's right-that sort of thing will affect long term prospects of the sims PC or mobile. If someone's experience sours them enough they won't be willing to buy easily.
They can't buy loyalty and they've lost so much of that goodwill with what's been going on. That's a shame and upsetting given the previous history. The sims should be treated with sufficient reverence to reflect the love for it from everyone here. Sadly it seems that is not enough for EA.
At least when Assassins creed unity had issues they were straight out apologising and offering content both in game and a free game to make up for the issues. That reluctance to talk is what made me realise that they aren't interested in dealing with the issues and engaging with all the customers.
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Because they know the loyalty the sims has/had. They could have told us that this game wasn't designed for certain play styles but instead they promised things they haven't delivered to keep our preorders and purchases. That was no mistake.
It may not have anything to do with the developers and come from the management directives. We know how EA likes to seize trends and they are known for putting everything into one trend and late on when things may be starting to go out of fashion. There is no coincidence that the person in charge is heavily experienced in mobile and now EA has merged Maxis with the mobile department after dismantling Maxis Emeryville.
I mean look at how sandbox games are having a resurgence at the moment-and EA's biggest sandbox game they've turned it into a different type of game! Perhaps once the sandbox trend starts to go out of fashion we'll eventually get it back for the sims!
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
When will the flop era end? 2014-????
Then there is Maxis. They want the younger crowd. Parties and angry poops and wooting before woohoo are aimed at then. They want the young, hip crowd. The ones who haven't played previous games and don't know what they're missing. And they want them less intelligent because it is easier to sell them garbage.
And we have the 2 world currently colliding. Us oldies are expendables. They will monetize this game, they just need us to go away so we stop writing negative articles and posting negative feedback for those impressionable youngsters to read. Then they can change the game without any repercussions.
Agreed. They don't want people to challenge them and to hold them to what they say. It's like it's an imposition that people care!
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
Well, I guess you can say I'm part of the "young hip crowd" this game is intended at, considering I, myself am a meddling angsty teen! But I can personally assure you that I'm with ya'll on this. I don't want my game to go to my phone. I want it to stay on my computer. I've been playing this game since apartment life and I don't like the direction it's headed.
Yeah, but that's gone now, they have to know that. Or they will as more and more EP's come out to what (I would anticipate to be) slumping sales. They know they've already po'ed and lost a lot of those folks.
This could go either way. In the end though I guess I just see EA not caring so much about "how" that money is made so long as it is made. Is it someone from EA dictating a move to mobile or is it someone at Maxis convincing EA mobile is the way to go for the Sims? Honestly I think its a 50/50 chance either of those could be true.
LOL, you're probably right. I guess I would have thought the SC meltdown would have taught them some valuable lessons, but I've been wrong before I guess.
And that is why I bought TS4 because I was sure they couldn't do it twice. Could kick myself.
I'm not sure that they have realised yet. Plenty of people have said they've bought everything so far then we're shocked at recent interviews and who said they weren't totally happy but we're buying in anticipation of better coming round the corner always. The retention rate will be interesting going forward but they won't release it anyway.
I doubt Maxis are driving the train into being under mobile, I'd guess it's more likely a strategy from EA.
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
You did very well
Thank you
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
If they don't need excuses, why are they constantly using telemetry exactly for that? Telemetry, if neccessary at all, should be used to ask more specified questions to learn why people aren't using the implemented features.
Instead The Sims team uses them to excuse cuts in a "It is expensive to make and you don!t really want it anyway. Stop complaining"-kind of way.
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I didn't mean you. I meant people that never played the games before TS4. Anyone who has played the previous games knows what they're missing. I mean, so many play styles were abandoned, almost everyone is missing something. Just some more than others.
But just interesting seeing the demographics of Simmers sometimes. There are some older Sims 4 players too.
Ah, I see. Yeah I agree. EA is like Oprah in a way; "YOU get ignored, and YOU get ignored, YOU ALL GET IGNORED!"
I completely agree with everything you wrote, Hthr0120! Great article-thank you, sparkfairy!
Social engineering is how 100% of companies handle these types of major changes.
EA isn't trying to lose all old players and replace them with new players, they want to bring as many of the older players over to the mobile side as possible. They know that PC sims fans will not willingly buy the mobile version, they also know that if they get players used to looking at a "mobile like" UI and playing a "mobile lite" game under a PC platform, they'll be more accepting of a true cross-platform version that's spec'd for a low capacity tablet later on. That's the end-game and the merge of Maxis into the mobile division proves it.
Some of us will leave completely. Others will find a way to enjoy a simpler sims game. Those are the people they are trying to keep as customers. They are trying to mitigate damages.
And they used those numbers/specs they've been collecting to sell it as an idea. Guaranteed. If 150 people are playing and 75 of them are on laptops, they will figure that those people are potential tablet/mobile players. Add in new customers and a pay to play model and profits are much, much higher then the status quo.
I tend to gloss over any Freeplay talk, so I don't know much about what the game offers, but what you said makes total sense in relation to the big sims picture.
I'm not shocked or hating on EA for trying to maximize profits. I'm sad and disappointed that this is no longer going to be a goto game. Honestly, between this and SC2013, I'm thinking I may need to stop gaming and start knitting. The fun:heartache ratio is way off.
This makes me so sad because I can see it happening. Until now I was appalled because I was shocked that they didn't seem to learn from the SimCity 2013 debacle. I think I get it now. They did learn, it's just their end goal is still the same. They're just trying a new way to implement the new "vision." They're treating us like the frog in the pot. Slowly raising the water temp bit by bit so that we don't notice it's boiling until too late.
They lost me with SimCity 2013. I wouldn't play Build-it if you paid me, Cities Skylines & the old SimCity games are much more enjoyable. It doesn't matter whether they tell me today, or let it slowly trickle out over months that they plan to push Sims players to mobile. I'll still walk. I guess I'll make sure that I'll always have a computer that can run Sims 2 & Sims 3, and hopefully there will be a competitor soon that appreciates the fans that EA takes for granted.
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Oh.... my..... Moses..... I can see it! I can totally see it now. I'd almost bet anything on it: this is their vision!!!! It has to be. Everything that they've been doing and everything that you said all line up and makes sense. All of the silence. The way the game is. This has to be it.
And if it is, if this is all that the Sims franchise is going to shape up to be. If this is all that The Sims franchise is going to say for itself in the end, then I'm out for good. I'll stick with the true PC Sims games and they can stick their tablet game right up their..... noses.
This is the teaser for it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HX12v5mxJM
Knitting is fun. I do enjoy that as well as crocheting. But yes the attention given to Freeplay for making it have more family play in it makes me sad. I mean I'm happy family players have that game to play, but I thought by now the PC version would surpass the mobile version of the Sims.
I wouldn't put that junk on my mobile if they PAID ME!
Would I play a pc game such as that... with better graphics and gameplay options yes.
I don't play games on my Phone. My Mobile phone is not to be wasted on a game!
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Yes, they know exactly what they're doing. More and more fans are starting to open their eyes to this. Sure, they're still committed to PC gaming or whatever they're exact words were but then, yet again, things (will) change. I recall many people upset with the "complainers" saying that pools were brought back and to look at all the stuff they added and clearly they're listening, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if (like said in another thread) they've been holding onto toddlers all this time and LB leaving was the time to roll it out and make RF look a bit like a rock star, lol. Distract people with the new shiny object of the month and hope most of them don't notice what's really going on or how limiting their strong foundation truly is.
Not all games need to be on mobile! We don't need to be connected in all games we play! This game especially should not be suffering through this. This is the type of stuff that makes me not want to play video games at all. Every game I see that looks interesting, even on console, I need to connect online to do or get something cool, and it's like, "Well why didn't you add that to the game to begin with?" Certain online features I get, but at some point it gets ridiculous.
If they want to make a Sims Mobile or Sims Tablet game or whatever, be my guest. I won't be buying that. But keep it separate from the PC game. I recall a lot of questions about mobile gaming on that survey they sent me shortly after I tried the Sims 4. Yes, I own a laptop, I even play Sims on my laptop, but I don't play games like that on my smartphone, I don't even own a tablet. Certain games I play should not have the ability to jump from my computer, to my tablet, to my phone. This is one of those games for me. I recall a question like that on the survey as well, and my thought was, "Well how cr.appy is the game I'm playing on my computer if it can also be played on my smart phone?" Imagine playing The Sims 2 or The Sims 3 on your PC then picking up where you left off on your tablet and/or your smartphone. I imagined it. I can't picture the quality being all that great. And what does that say about how connected I have to be to do all that? Or better yet, how connected they'll force us to be? No, thank you. I'll pass.
If that's the route they decide to stick to and The Sims 5 (should it come to be) ends up like that, I'll just keep my money. Hopefully someone else will see just how big an opportunity it is like they did after EA/Maxis screwed up with SC2013 and get to work, no pun intended. I wish all of us could put our heads and resources together and make a truly great life simulation game. It's ridiculous that quality overall is taking a hit so they can rake in more cash. I knew long before I even tried The Sims 4 that I most likely would not like it for a multiple reasons, the tablet game feel being part of it, and I was wrong. I thought I'd like it a bit more than I actually did. Those graphics. I gave them more credit than I should've.
I thought I'd be able to tolerate TS4 better but to the points above, I never really liked mobile games. The only "mobile games" on my phone are tic tac toe and a word search, a few of the only things I can tolerate. And I never saw the appeal in a tablet. I can't shove it in my pocket, I don't carry a purse, so should I use it I'd only be at home and if that's the case, I'm going for my computer or game console. Why would I like this game?
I totally agree @Anenome7 @Seamoan @Cabelle1863 and @ApparentlyAwesome and it's so sad to see. I just wish I had been more sensible and not listened to their promises. Like someone in the comments said-we should have waited to buy until after they fixed it. But he's right-that sort of thing will affect long term prospects of the sims PC or mobile. If someone's experience sours them enough they won't be willing to buy easily.
They can't buy loyalty and they've lost so much of that goodwill with what's been going on. That's a shame and upsetting given the previous history. The sims should be treated with sufficient reverence to reflect the love for it from everyone here. Sadly it seems that is not enough for EA.
At least when Assassins creed unity had issues they were straight out apologising and offering content both in game and a free game to make up for the issues. That reluctance to talk is what made me realise that they aren't interested in dealing with the issues and engaging with all the customers.
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1