The Game Changers aren't taking this decision lightly. For those of you who are upset that someone else has been given a pack worth $20 / £17.99 i think you need to take a step back and understand that for a lot of game changers this is their entire livelihood, and the income they make from content they produce based on the 'free' sims content they receive through the GC programme is their sole income. This is their full time job. You might enjoy being given $20/£17.99 worth of software for free, but would you be prepared to put in the hours of time that they dedicate to producing content for their audiences?
By making this stand the game changers are doing a lot more than walking away with $20 dollars worth of software for 'nothing in return'. They are effectively choosing to go on strike from their employment. They are choosing to put their own employment at risk- knowing that EA could terminate their membership of the gamechanger programme as a result of their actions, leaving them unable to produce early access content in future. By choosing not to upload early access content, or more extremely, any wedding pack related content until a statement is made/the pack is made available to the Russian market the game changers are actively taking away their own incomes and putting their own audience/following at risk.
For those that have taken the code from EA i would imagine it is because they either were already creating content before they took the decision to join the boycott or they intend to release content once the early access period is over and the game becomes available to the public. I would hope that any others have handed their codes back in protest, or are simply holding on to them until the situation is resolved, having not yet used them to download the pack. I suspect you will find very few game changers who are happily playing with the pack themselves whilst refusing to produce any content on it. But even if they were the sums of money involved here are ridiculous in terms of the volume of promotional copies of products that companies produce to give away to influencers and for advertising just as standard practise is huge and that is because for each person they send out a promotional copy to they get back 10 fold, 100 fold, 1,000 fold in sales of the pack through free advertising. There's no such thing as bad publicity as they say... even when a game changer gives a negative review online it will still generate sales for EA, and that $20/£17.99 free pack is not about getting a freebie for the game changers- they are in the game changers programme because they want early access to games, so that they can produce content before other creators, so that they can generate profitable content for their audiences. $20 is nothing for them in terms of work expenses- they'd write it off as a necessary cost in a heart beat if it meant they could get hold of the game early to get videos, blogs, streams, tweets etc out before the pack releases. So all this fussing over game changers having been given a product for free so they MUST produce content with it just seems ridiculous to me, when i think about the number of companies that send out promotional packs to influencers online each day with their new products in the tiniest hope that they might even get a 30 second mention in a video from one or two of the 100 people the sent products out to. That is how marketing works and the games industry is no different.
So, for the game changers to make a choice to put their own incomes and livelihoods on the line, and their potential future participation in the game changer programme, it has to be for a serious reason. They clearly each feel that EA are not being honest and clear with their customers about the reasons behind the decision to withdraw the sale of the wedding stories pack from Russia. Some are making a notional stand by saying they will only withhold early access content, but intend to release those videos when the pack is released to the public- a move which will hurt EA's pocket and definitely garner their attention when all other methods of constructive engagement have gone without response... other game changers are choosing a stronger line of refusing to use the pack at all until it is available to all markets.
The way i see it is, if this was an issue that affected me and my country and EA were refusing to release a pack here in the UK to make a political statement against my government meaning that i wouldn't be able to play the game... how would i feel about the game changers taking a collective stand, stating that EA was acting inconsistently and without clarity. If the game changers were putting their jobs and life security on the line for my chance to access and play the game, how would i feel about it then? I think i would be honoured and appreciative. I would be thankful that people across the globe considered me part of their global community and that despite political tensions and geographical distances that held us apart we are held together by our love for a game. Yes it might be a minor inconvenience to us that we miss out on or have a delay on game changer content about the wedding stories pack, but i would never ever dream of directing anger towards the game changers for using the one tool they have at their disposal to try and force EA to engage with the community, our global community, and address a serious issue that affects a large number of players, because it might not be me that is affected today, but it could be tomorrow. So i thank them for using their voices to stand up for what they feel is right and important despite the personal risks it creates for them and their incomes.
The Game Changers aren't taking this decision lightly. For those of you who are upset that someone else has been given a pack worth $20 / £17.99 i think you need to take a step back and understand that for a lot of game changers this is their entire livelihood, and the income they make from content they produce based on the 'free' sims content they receive through the GC programme is their sole income. This is their full time job. You might enjoy being given $20/£17.99 worth of software for free, but would you be prepared to put in the hours of time that they dedicate to producing content for their audiences?
By making this stand the game changers are doing a lot more than walking away with $20 dollars worth of software for 'nothing in return'. They are effectively choosing to go on strike from their employment. They are choosing to put their own employment at risk- knowing that EA could terminate their membership of the gamechanger programme as a result of their actions, leaving them unable to produce early access content in future. By choosing not to upload early access content, or more extremely, any wedding pack related content until a statement is made/the pack is made available to the Russian market the game changers are actively taking away their own incomes and putting their own audience/following at risk.
For those that have taken the code from EA i would imagine it is because they either were already creating content before they took the decision to join the boycott or they intend to release content once the early access period is over and the game becomes available to the public. I would hope that any others have handed their codes back in protest, or are simply holding on to them until the situation is resolved, having not yet used them to download the pack. I suspect you will find very few game changers who are happily playing with the pack themselves whilst refusing to produce any content on it. But even if they were the sums of money involved here are ridiculous in terms of the volume of promotional copies of products that companies produce to give away to influencers and for advertising just as standard practise is huge and that is because for each person they send out a promotional copy to they get back 10 fold, 100 fold, 1,000 fold in sales of the pack through free advertising. There's no such thing as bad publicity as they say... even when a game changer gives a negative review online it will still generate sales for EA, and that $20/£17.99 free pack is not about getting a freebie for the game changers- they are in the game changers programme because they want early access to games, so that they can produce content before other creators, so that they can generate profitable content for their audiences. $20 is nothing for them in terms of work expenses- they'd write it off as a necessary cost in a heart beat if it meant they could get hold of the game early to get videos, blogs, streams, tweets etc out before the pack releases. So all this fussing over game changers having been given a product for free so they MUST produce content with it just seems ridiculous to me, when i think about the number of companies that send out promotional packs to influencers online each day with their new products in the tiniest hope that they might even get a 30 second mention in a video from one or two of the 100 people the sent products out to. That is how marketing works and the games industry is no different.
So, for the game changers to make a choice to put their own incomes and livelihoods on the line, and their potential future participation in the game changer programme, it has to be for a serious reason. They clearly each feel that EA are not being honest and clear with their customers about the reasons behind the decision to withdraw the sale of the wedding stories pack from Russia. Some are making a notional stand by saying they will only withhold early access content, but intend to release those videos when the pack is released to the public- a move which will hurt EA's pocket and definitely garner their attention when all other methods of constructive engagement have gone without response... other game changers are choosing a stronger line of refusing to use the pack at all until it is available to all markets.
The way i see it is, if this was an issue that affected me and my country and EA were refusing to release a pack here in the UK to make a political statement against my government meaning that i wouldn't be able to play the game... how would i feel about the game changers taking a collective stand, stating that EA was acting inconsistently and without clarity. If the game changers were putting their jobs and life security on the line for my chance to access and play the game, how would i feel about it then? I think i would be honoured and appreciative. I would be thankful that people across the globe considered me part of their global community and that despite political tensions and geographical distances that held us apart we are held together by our love for a game. Yes it might be a minor inconvenience to us that we miss out on or have a delay on game changer content about the wedding stories pack, but i would never ever dream of directing anger towards the game changers for using the one tool they have at their disposal to try and force EA to engage with the community, our global community, and address a serious issue that affects a large number of players, because it might not be me that is affected today, but it could be tomorrow. So i thank them for using their voices to stand up for what they feel is right and important despite the personal risks it creates for them and their incomes.
Or they need to take a step back as the rest of us are the ones paying for this and have a right to be upset as well.
EA just needs to delay releasing the pack until they can get this issue resolved.
With everything going on with the Russia debate, gamechangers refusing to play it, and buggy & laggy gameplay, this pack isn't cooked and ready to serve.
They need to delay this pack for a week or two, resolve the Russia dispute by selling it with different cover art, and get rid of most of the bugs.
Otherwise, I imagine their sales are going to suffer because of this debacle, especially since they won't get the advertising from the gamechangers.
EA might have thought they were making the right decision, but they didn't think it through. And this is the result of that oversight.
It's time for them to admit their mistake and move on.
At this rate, this pack will become as infamous as Journey to Batuu.
I don't want a delay. It's hard enough waiting till Thursday. Besides the embargo lifts Tomorrow.
Or they need to take a step back as the rest of us are the ones paying for this and have a right to be upset as well.
It's not like you won't get any info, it will just be delayed - putting that against an entire country not even being able to play the pack, I think people being upset about that is not a priority. It simply sounds very entitled to complain about a slightly delayed review round when so many people aren't allowed to even get the pack. Period.
Allons-y!
---> Afterlife Game Pack Idea - improved ghosts, cemeteries and funerals, psychics, new skills, new career and more! <---
Or they need to take a step back as the rest of us are the ones paying for this and have a right to be upset as well.
It's not like you won't get any info, it will just be delayed - putting that against an entire country not even being able to play the pack, I think people being upset about that is not a priority. It simply sounds very entitled to complain about a slightly delayed review round when so many people aren't allowed to even get the pack. Period.
As far as I know Russian Simmers will be able to purchase the pack Thursday since EA changed the cover.
Or they need to take a step back as the rest of us are the ones paying for this and have a right to be upset as well.
It's not like you won't get any info, it will just be delayed - putting that against an entire country not even being able to play the pack, I think people being upset about that is not a priority. It simply sounds very entitled to complain about a slightly delayed review round when so many people aren't allowed to even get the pack. Period.
As far as I know Russian Simmers will be able to purchase the pack Thursday since EA changed the cover.
I hope so, but lets wait to celebrate until we know for sure.
Allons-y!
---> Afterlife Game Pack Idea - improved ghosts, cemeteries and funerals, psychics, new skills, new career and more! <---
Honestly, considering how much time it would take for Legal and Marketing to make sure that everything has been correctly cleared, if (and it is still an "if") the game is going to be released in Russia now, that's a pretty short turn around.
This isn't the sort of thing that a company can decide to do (or not) on a whim. There are a lot of factors to be examined before even a statement of intent to change things can be issued. Granted, it's not as long a process as skin tones or pronouns, but it was never the sort of thing that EA could just "wake up" one morning and decide to change.
(Not a Lawyer, but I game with one every Sunday. Which is also why "Russian Simmers Said" isn't enough of a reason for me to assume that EA is just overreacting. My fellow Americans claim incorrect assumptions about American laws with seeming authority all the time. Now, "Russian Simmers who work in the Legal System said" is a different matter, but I haven't seen that to the best of my knowledge.)
Thank you, this is an important point. I am a lawyer, but still haven't weighed in on any of the potential legal aspects of this situation (although I do have a few theories I'm keeping to myself), because this isn't my area of expertise.
It's fair to say that from a marketing point of view, the company should have perhaps listened to the voices of Russian simmers more than they did, although I don't know that any of us fully understand to what extent they did or didn't. However, from a legal point of view, I am fully confident that their very experienced legal team has considered all the ramifications and understands them far better than any of us do, no matter what countries we are from. It's their job to look at all of the potential issues that could arise, and I suspect it's about more than just this one pack at this one moment in time.
Of course, it's also interesting to contemplate how well the marketing folks and the legal team are communicating with each other internally, and to what extent they are on the same page, but then that's always an interesting dynamic in any corporation.
I'm really disappointed the Game Changers aren't showing the gameplay Today especially cause I wanted to see the how the creators created the lots we're getting. Oh well I guess everyone will know what they look like Thursday.
Well if they don't want to release their early footage that they got for signing up for the GC program, then I think maybe EA should ban all of them from using the Sims in any of their videos. You don't agree, cool. Stop making money off of EA's product.
I'm all for self expression, but this is their job. When I don't agree with my employer's policies, I go find another job. And I really side-eye the ones who have patreons for their channels that do nothing but talk about the Sims. I hate EA as a company myself, but that stuff is definitely a little sketch in my opinion.
I don't have a youtube channel but I'm pretty sure that by not covering the pack they are indeed not making money off it. I think that might be part of the stance they are making? That they won't profit from something that is being denied to some players?
They still profit off their other videos they make in the meantime. Don't agree with your sponsor, let them go completely. Of course 90% of them would be left with no channel and no income, so I doubt they will go that route
I sort of agree with the with Elliandre above. I’m not unsubscribing from anyone, but I feel like if Game Changers are getting early access to the game for free, which is for review purposes, then they should review it. I’m not jumping up and down about the fact that they still get the game for free and will still get to play it when they aren’t upholding their part in the program by showcasing and reviewing the content. Then they’re no different from those of us that are paying for the pack. Just my opinion though.
I have a much empathy towards the current situation, and I think standing up for Russian players and our community is great, but I just wish Game Changers wouldn’t withhold their reviews and showcases just to prove a point to EA.
Just going to state that different opportunities can have different content requirements.
I hope that some of them still release, or if ea changes the cover art so that Russians can buy the game that the game changers show videos. I doubt they’ll have time to make them now though.
Its crazy to see being a simmer since Sims 1 to see the Sims now being involved in multiple political controversies. Like the SIMS of all things!
You want to know the best part of all this? None of this would have happened if they made a dragon pack instead.
Dragons can be gay too.
But does Russia have anything against gay dragons as they are kinda like animals
I mean as long as they don't design them in that gendered animation animals way i guess
I personally also feel weird about even thinking about playing and enjoying the pack while knowing a whole part of the world might not even have a chance to. I'm hoping EA clarifies things soon.
Over 40 million children in the world suffer from malnutrition every year, and yet you still eat, I assume. Put things in perspective.
I hope EA clarifies things too and I feel real empathy for any Simmers who are being impacted by what's happening, but in the grand scheme of "world problems"....a region not being able to buy a video game is definitely not at the top of the list of things to let interfere with how I live my own life.
The underlying reasons of basic human rights happening in the region which is the root of what's going on, now those are important concerns.
The idea that we shouldn't do something about what we consider to be problematic because there are bigger problems that exist in the world is fatuous. The Game Changers can't do much about 40 million children who suffer from malnutrition every year, they can show discontent with a seemingly arbitrary PR decision.
The idea that we shouldn't do something about what we consider to be problematic because there are bigger problems that exist in the world is fatuous. The Game Changers can't do much about 40 million children who suffer from malnutrition every year, they can show discontent with a seemingly arbitrary PR decision.
Except my comment was not about the Game Changers, but rather the ordinary bloke who said he would "feel weird about even thinking about playing the game". That context is right there in what you quoted.
I hope you can see, he's not having an impact on either scenario, hence why I suggested he should maybe put things in perspective.
In alternate universe this would be a werewolf pack and the wedding stuff would been in a family expansion.With day care, hotels with family activities.
Comments
By making this stand the game changers are doing a lot more than walking away with $20 dollars worth of software for 'nothing in return'. They are effectively choosing to go on strike from their employment. They are choosing to put their own employment at risk- knowing that EA could terminate their membership of the gamechanger programme as a result of their actions, leaving them unable to produce early access content in future. By choosing not to upload early access content, or more extremely, any wedding pack related content until a statement is made/the pack is made available to the Russian market the game changers are actively taking away their own incomes and putting their own audience/following at risk.
For those that have taken the code from EA i would imagine it is because they either were already creating content before they took the decision to join the boycott or they intend to release content once the early access period is over and the game becomes available to the public. I would hope that any others have handed their codes back in protest, or are simply holding on to them until the situation is resolved, having not yet used them to download the pack. I suspect you will find very few game changers who are happily playing with the pack themselves whilst refusing to produce any content on it. But even if they were the sums of money involved here are ridiculous in terms of the volume of promotional copies of products that companies produce to give away to influencers and for advertising just as standard practise is huge and that is because for each person they send out a promotional copy to they get back 10 fold, 100 fold, 1,000 fold in sales of the pack through free advertising. There's no such thing as bad publicity as they say... even when a game changer gives a negative review online it will still generate sales for EA, and that $20/£17.99 free pack is not about getting a freebie for the game changers- they are in the game changers programme because they want early access to games, so that they can produce content before other creators, so that they can generate profitable content for their audiences. $20 is nothing for them in terms of work expenses- they'd write it off as a necessary cost in a heart beat if it meant they could get hold of the game early to get videos, blogs, streams, tweets etc out before the pack releases. So all this fussing over game changers having been given a product for free so they MUST produce content with it just seems ridiculous to me, when i think about the number of companies that send out promotional packs to influencers online each day with their new products in the tiniest hope that they might even get a 30 second mention in a video from one or two of the 100 people the sent products out to. That is how marketing works and the games industry is no different.
So, for the game changers to make a choice to put their own incomes and livelihoods on the line, and their potential future participation in the game changer programme, it has to be for a serious reason. They clearly each feel that EA are not being honest and clear with their customers about the reasons behind the decision to withdraw the sale of the wedding stories pack from Russia. Some are making a notional stand by saying they will only withhold early access content, but intend to release those videos when the pack is released to the public- a move which will hurt EA's pocket and definitely garner their attention when all other methods of constructive engagement have gone without response... other game changers are choosing a stronger line of refusing to use the pack at all until it is available to all markets.
The way i see it is, if this was an issue that affected me and my country and EA were refusing to release a pack here in the UK to make a political statement against my government meaning that i wouldn't be able to play the game... how would i feel about the game changers taking a collective stand, stating that EA was acting inconsistently and without clarity. If the game changers were putting their jobs and life security on the line for my chance to access and play the game, how would i feel about it then? I think i would be honoured and appreciative. I would be thankful that people across the globe considered me part of their global community and that despite political tensions and geographical distances that held us apart we are held together by our love for a game. Yes it might be a minor inconvenience to us that we miss out on or have a delay on game changer content about the wedding stories pack, but i would never ever dream of directing anger towards the game changers for using the one tool they have at their disposal to try and force EA to engage with the community, our global community, and address a serious issue that affects a large number of players, because it might not be me that is affected today, but it could be tomorrow. So i thank them for using their voices to stand up for what they feel is right and important despite the personal risks it creates for them and their incomes.
Or they need to take a step back as the rest of us are the ones paying for this and have a right to be upset as well.
Lets make this a reality!
I don't want a delay. It's hard enough waiting till Thursday. Besides the embargo lifts Tomorrow.
Awesome.
As far as I know Russian Simmers will be able to purchase the pack Thursday since EA changed the cover.
Thank you, this is an important point. I am a lawyer, but still haven't weighed in on any of the potential legal aspects of this situation (although I do have a few theories I'm keeping to myself), because this isn't my area of expertise.
It's fair to say that from a marketing point of view, the company should have perhaps listened to the voices of Russian simmers more than they did, although I don't know that any of us fully understand to what extent they did or didn't. However, from a legal point of view, I am fully confident that their very experienced legal team has considered all the ramifications and understands them far better than any of us do, no matter what countries we are from. It's their job to look at all of the potential issues that could arise, and I suspect it's about more than just this one pack at this one moment in time.
Of course, it's also interesting to contemplate how well the marketing folks and the legal team are communicating with each other internally, and to what extent they are on the same page, but then that's always an interesting dynamic in any corporation.
February 16th, 11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET / 8:00pm CET
Thanks for the info.
They still profit off their other videos they make in the meantime. Don't agree with your sponsor, let them go completely. Of course 90% of them would be left with no channel and no income, so I doubt they will go that route
Just going to state that different opportunities can have different content requirements.
Dragons can be gay too.
I mean as long as they don't design them in that gendered animation animals way i guess
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The idea that we shouldn't do something about what we consider to be problematic because there are bigger problems that exist in the world is fatuous. The Game Changers can't do much about 40 million children who suffer from malnutrition every year, they can show discontent with a seemingly arbitrary PR decision.
Except my comment was not about the Game Changers, but rather the ordinary bloke who said he would "feel weird about even thinking about playing the game". That context is right there in what you quoted.
I hope you can see, he's not having an impact on either scenario, hence why I suggested he should maybe put things in perspective.
The Winters family Tree --- My Mods