The social gaming bubble may well be on its way to bursting. The deluge of Facebook invites to games you really just couldn’t care to play, thanks to the likes of Zynga’s ubiquitous Farmville and EA’s Sims Social are set to recede, as EA shuts down a number of its Facebook games.
The Sims Social, SimCity Social and Pet Society are all set to be pulled from the social networking service. These are all games that allow players to use real-world money to buy virtual nonsense – and their closure leaves those “investments” up in smoke.
EA’s left a generic, blanket statement on each game’s Facebook page, letting users know their digital time-wasting, with those games at least, will be coming to an end.
"We had to make the difficult decision to close down The Sims Social so we can reallocate development resources to other titles that we hope you’ll have just as much fun playing. We hope you have gotten many hours of enjoyment out of the games and we thank you for everything you’ve added to the community."
Other statements are exactly the same, replacing just the title of the game. curiously, all of the cancelled games were developed by EA’s social game acquisition Playfish, which the publisher acquired in 2009 for a rather ludicrous $300 million, leaving the developer’s future uncertain.
EA’s declined to comment on Playfish’s possible closure, but has been directing social gamers to titles developed by its other big social ad mobile gaming studio, Popcap; titles like Bejeweled Blitz, Solitaire Blitz and Plants vs. Zombies Adventures.
Naturally, a number of people are pretty pissed off, especially in the case of SimCity Social, which has been online for less than year.
"I only play ONE game on Facebook. and this is it! It is the ONLY GAME I PLAY. You really know how to make customers happy. I will boycott anything EA if you remove this. Sorry," said one upset fan on the game’s Facebook page.
Another, angrier individual had this to say:
FUCK YOU EA! this is the only decent game you have, that I can play with other people with no hassle (other than your daily bugs) but thats besides the point right now. Ive been playing for a year probably a little more, collected enough for 2 diamond vaults, almost done with my island pyramid, took me forEVER to complete some of the tasks, and now yours just stripping us from this? I feel violated.
EA’s been riding wave upon wave of bad publicity of late, with head honcho John Riccitiello stepping down, Sim City’s disastrous launch and of course, the company winning the award for “The Worst company in America” for the second year running.
Always online games riddled with microtransactions; this is the future that EA wants.
Last Updated: April 16, 2013
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 16, 2013 at 10:42
And this is why always online is a bad idea.
The company can at anytime decide to pull the plug and you are left with a game you can never play again. Regardless of what amounts of money you spent on it.
The warning bells are there yet people are still supporting with their wallets.
Rincethis: Spellalicious
April 16, 2013 at 10:47
What you said. The problem is EA has created a situation where people are happy paying for pretend homes etc, and invest a lot of money into this. I hope this wakes many of them up. You are NOT in control if you have to rely on the company to always have a server supporting you.
Anon A Mouse
April 16, 2013 at 10:50
I’m waiting for the SimShitty bomb to drop in the not too distant future as well.
Rincethis: Spellalicious
April 16, 2013 at 11:01
Agreed, as am I. To me this is bitter sweet. Bitter for the poor sods who have invested money in nothing. And sweet that hopefully this will sour the milk so that people cotton onto what a load of bullshit DRM microstransactions are.
Anon A Mouse
April 16, 2013 at 11:06
I also do not find it very hard warming that there are gamers out there that are going to be shafted when this happens, but like you said something needs to give for these companies to start looking at alternatives for the current business plan.
Rincethis: Spellalicious
April 16, 2013 at 11:09
It’s just testament to the flawed nature of the system. I have games from NES era I can still play (granted I need to blow on the thing harder than a White House intern), but if I look after those games I can give them to my kids, SNES will go to grandchildren, and PS2 to great grandchildren. With SimCity, you think EA will 1. Still be about, 2 GIVE A SHIT in five years? I think not. DON’T WASTE YOUR MONET PEOPLE!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 16, 2013 at 11:14
Couldn’t agree more
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 16, 2013 at 11:05
PREACH IT BRO!
matthurstrsa
April 16, 2013 at 14:30
It’s the same with Steam to be fair, but no one seems too bothered by that fact.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 16, 2013 at 14:33
The difference is that Steam already has an offline mode and doesn’t need you online.
So if they close down they can just quickly patch the app not to ever try log in again and be perma offline.
matthurstrsa
April 16, 2013 at 14:42
Yeah, but if they pull support for a game and its not installed and you have to redownload it. How many of your purchased Steam games are actually installed on your PC right now? I’m at about half. What happens to the other 50%?
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 16, 2013 at 14:44
I always keep my files on disk. I despise re-downloading. So currently 100%. And I always keep the local files even during formats.
So I would be ok and I am sure they would give enough warning for people to go and download beforehand
matthurstrsa
April 16, 2013 at 14:46
You are a good example sir. I should learn from you. I do agree with your original point though, always online is a terrible idea for everyone!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 16, 2013 at 14:49
Yes! We don’t want always-on!
Rincethis: Spellalicious
April 16, 2013 at 10:45
Screwyou EA. And screwmicrotransactions. I am sorry, this is what needs to happen if we want all this microbullshit to stop. I truly feel very sorry for the people who have invested loads of money into these games though, they are getting royally shafted.
Anon A Mouse
April 16, 2013 at 10:51
I had a chuckle at myself when I first read EA’s other developer as Popcrap, almost thought that was the most honest name for any developer out there.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
April 16, 2013 at 11:08
Funny thing is Popcap actually makes pretty damned good games.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 16, 2013 at 11:13
PvZ FTW!
Trevor Davies
April 16, 2013 at 11:03
The header image is incorrect, the prick should be on the inside.
Lourens Jordaan
April 16, 2013 at 11:05
If “Always online games riddled with microtransactions; this is the future that EA wants” is true….why do they discontinue the crap on facebook? Two of the most prominent attributes of a facebook game is: Always online (cause its bookface) and microtransactions…. I don’t get it.
Hondsepop
April 16, 2013 at 11:41
EA is one fire I love to watch burning, in fact I’m mesmerised by it. BUUURRRN mofo’s.
TechniKyle
April 16, 2013 at 14:57
Sucks to be you!