Electronic Arts has redubbed it “EA-Land,” but it’s The Sims Online relaunched for a new era: free, web-based, even some user-created content. Originally launched in 2002 as a multi-player spinoff of their astoundingly popular casual-crossover Sims franchise, EA (ERTS) expected the online version to do blockbuster sales, only to find it overshadowed by Second Life and other Web 2.0-era MMOs. Based on the site description, the company’s learned from these competitors, cannily leveraging some of their key features.
In addition to letting users “upload custom content,” EA-Land comes with a virtual real estate market, blog and wiki interaction, and most impressive, a widget for Facebook and other social sites. Given the success of low-res casual MMOs like Habbo Hotel or for that matter, the 13 million monthly active users on EA’s casual game Pogo site, this is a key property to watch.
Image credit: ea-land.ea.com. Hat tip: Kotaku.
5 comments so far
9:21 PM PT
[...] part via GigaOm) CrunchBase Information Club Penguin Habbo Hotel Second Life Information provided by [...]
11:56 PM PT
[...] to GigaOM and TechCrunch for the [...]
1:02 AM PT
[...] GigaOmから） CrunchBase Information Club Penguin Habbo Hotel Second Life Information provided by [...]
3:25 PM PT
[...] from their online words than the basic services, without the hassles of Second Life. (in part via GigaOm) More from TechCrunch… __________________ CURRENTLY PLAYING (Ha, ha, no right mouse button) [...]
4:49 PM PT
[...] “EA Land,” the free, web-based revival of The Sims Online we blogged about last week, this is another property full of Web 2.0 flavor –and from such a mammoth publisher like EA, [...]
Leave a Comment