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The Sims 3 To Mesh With Social Networks

Posted by Soulskill on from the linked-sim-book-space dept.

Electronic Arts has released a good bit of information about the online aspects of The Sims 3, which is due for release in early June. The game will have downloadable content available on launch day that includes a second, separate town called Riverview. They'll also be revamping the game's website to allow the sharing of content and integration with social media. In addition, EA mentioned that the game will make use of micro-transactions, which players can use to buy things like furniture, clothing, and other items.

10 of 25 comments (clear)

  1. microtransactions eh? by flerndip · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I thought the magic of The Sims was the user-created content. Pay what to the who-now?

    1. Re:microtransactions eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      While you could find free content, many sites made you pay. As long as people keep the possibility of creating their own content for this game, the only thing new will be that EA will take some of the money in a market which already existed. Of course, they might kill a few paying sites by doing this as they can create all the unfair advatages they want (direct link to the store from inside the game, in-game ads...).

  2. it's so web 2.0! by thetoadwarrior · · Score: 2, Funny

    Micro-transactions is a way of saying they'll nickel and dime you to death.

  3. I miss the original release of The Sims by bonch · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I miss the period of time when The Sims had just come out, and it was such a neat toy to play with. It was more of an architecture and people simulator with a tongue-in-cheek, 1950s nuclear family tone, especially the music. The game began to morph into something else, with people roleplaying and storytelling. Websites started charging for access to their downloads. EA went overboard with the number of expansions, adding crazy stuff like robots and wizards. Even the music shifted into hip techno tracks as the game got huge in the mainstream.

    They advertise the game now using Sims that look like teenyboppers out of an MTV reality show, and the clever 1950s tone of the original is gone. It's no longer a life simulator as much as it is a mass-appeal sandbox for user-created clothes and stupid machinima sitcoms, which bores me. I don't need a videogame to write my own stories. Guess I'm not a part of the core audience anymore.

    1. Re:I miss the original release of The Sims by wisty · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You think it will converge with nethack one day? That could be cool.

  4. Sims + Twitter = AUGH by Nakor+BlueRider · · Score: 4, Funny

    Please, PLEASE tell me that "to mesh with social networks" does not mean twittering Sims...

    1. Re:Sims + Twitter = AUGH by IBBoard · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Given the language the Sims speak in, it'll be about as intelligable and interesting as half of what's on Twitter. No-one would probably notice if they did suddenly start Sims posting on Twitter!

    2. Re:Sims + Twitter = AUGH by imamac · · Score: 2, Funny

      What am I doing? Ahhh...Va vasnah...

  5. Re:extra, premium dlc on launch day? by thetoadwarrior · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Having DLC on launch day is definitely a polite way of saying they've taken some files off the disk and put them online for purchase. It's just a way to increase the price of the game without people realising it.

  6. The Sims and social networking... by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In other words, A graphical chat room overloaded with "bars", where people go to at least pick someone up in a virtual world, then go home with them to have cyber sex?

    Did second life close down or why should anyone pay for that?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.