EA-Land shutting down
Electronic Arts' new baby, EA-Land, is apparently not going ahead, with news coming down a few hours ago that this replacement for The Sims Online is going to be closing.
The Sims Online closed and merged into the new EA-Land world in February this year, but it appears that whatever targets EA management might have set for the project weren't met, and it is now going to go away, closing around Midnight on the last day of July, this year.
Subscription billing for EA-Land terminates immediately. EA-Land will be free-to-play until closure. Currency purchases with Paypal are likewise closed.
Support will continue until closure (or until further notice, whichever comes first) and your EA-Land account/subscription may be terminated at any time.
EA is offering $15 off any game at the EA Store or three months of Club POGO subscription time (your choice) to paying subscribers. Those eligible subscribers will be emailed with the offer information within 30 days.
Luc, the prominent figure behind EA-Land, has posted a heartfelt and sorrowful message to EA-Land users. Reactions range from supportive to bitter, and all points in between.
On a number of occasions in the over the last couple of years, Second Life has seen influxes of new users from The Sims Online, and it is expected that it will receive more as a result of the pending closure. However, while Second Life is one of the best-fit virtual worlds for The Sims Online users, it isn't a very close fit at all, and not many TSO refugees feel comfortable in Second Life's open and unstructured environment.
Love EA-Land or hate it, it is sad to see it pass into history.
