EA is going digital

[Hosfac]

Really? I never knew Maxis originally created Sims! I thought they were co-creators. Kind of.

EA published the original game, but had no hand in its creation.  

[malteser60]

Nope, Maxis originally created the Sims. Sims 1 still is, in my opinion, brilliant, even though I haven't gone back to playing it since Sims 3 and I'm sure the low graphics and no open neighbourhood would annoy me. But sims 1 was innovative, quirky, funny, and also open source as Maxis encouraged people to create items, clothing, etc. One of the good things that happened when EA bought Maxis is a lot of the team went to EA and carried on with the Sims series. In fact, the guy who originally designed and programmed death in Sims 1 is still there, working at EA and has done death in Sims 2 and 3. That's why death in Sims 3 is such a brilliant NPC, very funny and quirky as it retains the original Maxis humour.

Edit: Finished typing this after Hosfac sent in his reply. Following on from that what most people don't realise is that a good percentage of EA games are not designed by EA but only published.

[TheChronicR]

Heh, learn something new every day. Thanks for the explanation, guys!

[xFezIsAFreakx]

Ugh, this sucks! I so hope it doesn't happen.

[TheChronicR]

Just back from official forums... Responses are horrifying. If this is true, the Sims will come to a tragic end quite soon. I really really don't want that to happen.

[Metropolis Man]

Just to play devil's advocate here — does anyone remember when the compact disc killed records? I know some of you are definitely old enough! Lol. There's always going to be resistance as things change. Maybe my comparison is an apples and oranges kind of thing, but I'm just talking change in general. It has to happen as we push forward. Digital media is clearly the way of the future. I'm guessing by the time I have grandkids daily printed newspapers may be only a memory — trees to chop down, gasoline at probably a million dollars a gallon just for the delivery trucks? Forget it. Just use the internet for your daily news needs. I'm with you guys — I prefer physical discs myself. But, the change is inevitable.

[jessssi]

That's true. And while they're at it, they might as well make the expansion packs free and rename them to "updates". It'll make the transition to digital way better and easier.

[Metropolis Man]

...And while they're at it, they might as well make the expansion packs free and rename them to "updates". It'll make the transition to digital way better and easier.

Lol. Yeah, we can hear that suggestion now at a board meeting...

Joe Pink Slip: "Guys, my brilliant idea requires a moderate pay cut for all employees, but listen to this..."

[TheChronicR]

That's the truth, for sure. But, when VHS was replaced by DVD, it was still a hard copy. Now it's all virtual, digital. People are refusing to buy it, because no one can guarantee that they'll get the game after saying 40 dollars digitally. Personally, I have managed to make my parents allow me to buy the game digitally - I'm quite happy now. But not all parents will agree with that. EA says they are saving environment. Seriously, you're saving it by the cost of many simmer's cries? Not fair.

[jessssi]

Lol. Yeah, we can hear that suggestion now at a board meeting...

Joe Pink Slip: "Guys, my brilliant idea requires a moderate pay cut for all employees, but listen to this..."

Yeah but everyone knows EA's all about the customers. They LISTEN to us.

[Schipperke]

My main objection to this is that it will make it impossible for some people to play the game.  I'm old enough to have my own credit card which means that isn't an issue for me, but it is for some people.  And something that definitely is an issue for me is the time it would take to download.  I have a slow internet connection, which is all I can afford.  Up till a couple of years ago I had no internet connection at all.  I often lose messages I'm trying to post on the forum because they've timed out.  Downloading a whole game sounds like a massive exercise in frustration to me.

[Metropolis Man]

Yeah but everyone knows EA's all about the customers. They LISTEN to us.

Tread lightly. Let's not start dogpiling on EA. Again, I'm going to play devil's advocate and state that EA is simply going in the direction that probably all game publishers will go eventually. Their profit margin difference for a downloaded game vs a physical game on a disc that's mailed is probably huge. 

[Anushka]

I don't really understand all the trouble. I'm from generation that had and still has records and audio and video tapes, and honestly, only transition I see in this is from buying CD to my USB or external harddrive. I also used CD only for serial code, which will probably be sent by e-mail in future. Downloading even for 2 days is easier and faster than waiting for your supplier to get it, then go out, buy the game and go back home, when we are talking about areas that don't have good internet, they probably don't have the game in shop the same day it is released. Even in case as your's Schipperke, you're still be able to get a game in a matter of few hours. And as you said it yourself, few years ago you didn't have internet. Few years ahead, you'll probably have stabile and descent internet that is affordable.
Not to mention that I constantly copy my CD's on computer, or USB, simply cause CD and DVD are hard to keep in good shape after a while. I'll definitely vote for this option.
About bank account - if you don't have it, you should. If you're still too young to own one, you are not too young to learn from your parents how to handle bank accounts. It can only become usefull in future.
Maybe I'm like this because I already read newspaper on internet for years now.

[TheChronicR]

The problem is - I feel like EA is going to do this with already the fifth expansion - which is in October/November. And by that time not many things will change in my life - at least connected to internet and bank accounts. I have the highest possible internet speed in my country, but it will still take eight hours to download the game, when you can buy it from the store in twenty minutes. Notice the difference?

[Phyre]

To be honest I mainly agree with Metro. I have downloaded my MMORPG games for many years and once you get used to the process - it's so much easier - it's hard not to prefer it over discs. It's the normal progression of retail in our digital centric age.

Having said that, every decision has squabbels. For starters, a lot of children play the Sims. Instead of being able to take their pocket money and run to the store they will (in the event EA goes 100% digital) always have to ask mum or dad to pay for it on the internet. This may not seem a big deal to mum and dad but kids like to feel grown up and can take pride and self-esteem from an act where adults groan in anticipation because; 'Darn! Those lines at the registry.' Moreover not everyone has a credit card and some people still feel insecure paying for something over the internet. It's a minority - true - but it's still a portion of the current customers.

At the end of the day EA is a profit-driven company and it will all come down to how much the decrease in customers will weight up against the lower production costs (no disc, no hardcopy manual, no transportation).