Comments on: 'EA Land' closing just weeks after debut

After re-branding "The Sims Online," Electronic Arts decides to pull the plug on the struggling game's successor.

[JadedGamer]

Third strike

So, then: MotorCity Online (to the extent it ever got released), Earth & Beyond, and now TSO/EA Land. When will they realize they are unable to develop and run MMOs?

(Ultima Online does not count since it started at pre-EA Origins and apparently is still running.)

[mitchb13]

It wasn't free

They advertised it as FREE now, but when I tried to login I couldn't get into most of the places I wanted because it required a subscription. When I went to the subscription page, it wanted me to pay $$$. So I gave up, probably like many others.

[SuziQ2708]

EALand closure

Back in the summer of 2007, when it was first announced to players that TSO was changing to EA Land, I read a post in TSO-e written by Lee Fancey which outlined the reasons for EA making these changes. It explained that EA had been given until March 2008 to rescue the game and that EA would be introducing lots of new features in an attempt to do this. If TSO had not shown significant success and increase in players by March 2008 the likelyhood was that the game would have to close down. On one occasion a visitor came to my sim property and during the conversation I mentioned this post I had read. The visitor accused me of lying and was quite angry and aggressive that I should state this information. I promptly accessed TSO-e blog in order to find the post and direct this visitor to it via a link. Unfortunately, the post had disappeared! I emailed one of the Devs for TSO, Parizad, to which she replied that she was unaware of any such post and that maybe Lee had mentioned this in the TC3 pub!!! I knew this NOT to be the case as, at that time, I had never logged in to TC3 let alone visited the pub. I was suspicious at the time, as I know what I read and found it highly strange that the post should be removed from the EA blog. In light of recent events my suspicion has been aroused again. I don't doubt that EA gave the TSO Devs a time scale to improve the game. Obviously they were not suitable to fulfill this assignment! Just to add more suspicion, Sim Stratics has misteriously been closed down today too!

Suzanne

[EA Boycotter]

EA has no clue

EA has stated that players do not like to play with other players. Have they taken a complete survey to this? NO as if they did they would of gotten the results that many players world wide enjoy logging in and playing their virtual selves with other online players.

The comment was in reference to the closing of EA Land ( The Sims Online ) Why would they make such a comment, well this is very simple to answer. They are trying to cover up the years of neglect on a game that would of had just as much success as Second Life run and operated by Linden Labs. They are also trying to distance themselves from The Sims Online name. This being the only obvious reason for there upcoming release of SIMS 3.

EA has never put full heart into the promises they made in turning the old platform of The Sims Online into the new updated games. They sent out mass emails to older players that stopped playing to come back with promises that never occurred.

The lack of EA support is the reason The Sims Online (EA Land) failed. EA for 4 yrs didn't update or upgrade the game in any shape or form. Then we had a miracle occur. Developers from the old game were brought back to try to save it. Well after 4 yrs of neglect, this was a task even the Gods would have a challenge with. Though this new team of developers were dedicated to getting the job done, they were still under the heavy claw of EA executive suits that really didn't want to see this project take form and succeed. The team was small compared to the previous team of over 100. EA did no advertising to help bring in any new members. The online community was out helping with this but to no avail. Very hard to praise a company that treats their customers with no consideration. The customer support of EA is another major issue with the company but that for another day.

EA failed its subscribers is the bottom line. EA wants to put on a good face to their upcoming releases. The fact remains. EA makes promises it does not keep to their Gaming Customers. EA customer support on all their games is the worst in the industry. EA care nothing of their subscribers. Very simple.. EA does not deserve our hard earned money in buy their products. There are other gaming company's out their that actual listen to their consumers and take their input. Why not take a look at those companies when investing your hard earned money.

Another thing EA forgets when it comes to their upcoming release is that many of those customers were The Sims Online customers. After the abuse they have caused on many of that community, most will be staying away from the EA brand name for good. They have taken the best game series and stuffed it down once again. They had a loyal following, but after there recent actions that following is now going to company's that actual listen to their input and care about their games.


The campaign to boycott EA games will continue as many will follow... Maybe EA should of listened to their customers and not come up with fake statistics to what is obvious to the online gaming community.

[play7]

If you think the costumer Service was bad with TSO WAIT! Until you experience SECLOND LIFES VERSION OF HOW NOT TO TREAT ITS USERS.......

[festrmentmagnet]

Users actually did get to bring in a lot of their own content. And many brought in some amazing things.

It's too bad that this game started taking, taking, taking from the players, but wasn't adding much.

But, most of us stuck around waiting for all the things promised. We stuck through the low payouts and no anniversary gifts because there was supposed to be a big horizon coming.

Then, all we got was the plug pulled and darkness.

And, say what you will, but at least two other popular online virtual worlds out there are not all that much better than EA-Land.

[Claudia_Joy_MacCloud]

We are fighting to save our game!!!!!!! Please join us in this fight at www.playercampaigns.com

There are many of us who care about the game and dont want to see it go. Please help us save our game!

[play7]

And many feel that they will go to Second Life? Hardly! If you think the sims lag ws bad wait until you play SL...........

[MarreNarre]

[MarreNarre]

hi

[Takeru_Ijitsu]

This is such a sad time for us oldie sims.

The TSO/EA teams did a great job with the origional, and the new game. But the neglect proved to much, many older players wouldn't return because of the abuse that we were handed. And with games like Second Life, There, and World of Warcraft offering a more stimulating atmosphere - TSO/EALand had no chance with four years of neglect.

However, I deeply thank the dev's for their time, they gave me some great online memories - and I have friends from the game who I have known for almost five years!

RIP Test Center... I knew ye well.

[ttcsim]

Saw this coming with the merge. I love sims and am a long time player and playing with others online made it even more enjoyable. EA took everything away from TSO that made it fun. Plus, when we had to contact support, the contact knew absolutely nothing and never could help, IF you could reach a human. That made it fustrating too. Very saavy business decisions EA. Take away all that makes a game fun and successful then supply inadequate tech support, say it's free but severly limit access, and if a player is a subscriber take everything away from them to "even the playing field". A lot of people left with the merge and it was no longer any fun to hang around.

[angelishi8]

Hi! I was one of the TSO player wayback 2002- 2006, I'm sad to have known that the TSO shut down knowing that name had change a year a go also.well I think you guys have a great point.

I'm hoping all the best for EA games team to be successful in building a new simulation.
its true that theres a lot of competitor around the world now. but EA should know that YOU guys were the original LEADING Game meaning you guys can still beat the competitors in time. you know what to do.

[murderdollsfreak]

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?savetso7&1

SAVE THE SIMS ONLINE, BRING IT BACK!