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Sims 3 teaser posted, more info coming March 19
If there was any doubt that EA would continue to milk the lucrative cash cow that is Will Wright's Sims franchise, that doubt can now be officially expelled. EA has created an official page for the next title in the series -- titled, appropriately enough, The Sims 3.The site features little else besides the above image, which teases more details coming on March 19. Our Holmesian deductive reasoning lets us assume that this title will be a return to form for the Sims series, as opposed to another entry in the adorable but divergent MySims line. With work on Spore wrapping up after eight years, it's also possible that Mr. Wright himself may take an active role in the game's development. Guess we'll all have more information come March 19 (finally, something to anxiously look forward to besides Brawl).[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
EA releases even more casual take on The Sims
Electronic Arts has put a new casual – well more casual – spin on its popular The Sims franchise by announcing a new collection of downloadable Sims titles over EA's casual games service, Pogo.com. The line, titled The Sims Carnival, currently includes two different titles, neither of which come across as particularly compelling nor innovative, a line of thinking with which we think EA should be intimately familiar. The first of these new titles, The Sims Carnival Bumper Blast, asks players to shoot at Sims-styled bumpers before their ammo supply runs dry, while the other, a rather tepid-sounding Tetris clone called The Sims Carnival SnapCity, has players construct a city out of falling blocks. Both games are bundled together for download for $19.99. The announcement is the latest in EA's not so secretive move to establish a significant foothold in the casual games space, and while we appreciate the effort, it will be interesting to see if The Sims branding alone is enough to convince gamers to hop on board ... or simply break Will Wright's heart in twain.
Get lost in The Sims 2: Castaway screens
If there's one thing we don't like about The Sims 2: Castaway, it's the game's lack of modern convenience. Yes, we get that they're castaways, but we can't tell you how many times we've become frustrated with our little Sim, only to take our aggression out by trapping them in a structure lacking doors and having them keep using the toaster oven until a fire broke out. Hey, don't look at us like we're monsters?Anywho, check out these new screens with us and be sure to take part in our random, yet completely appropriate, screaming of "Wiiiiiiilson!"
The Sims + YouTube = The Sims On Stage
As if there wasn't enough worthless gibberish on the internet already, EA has seen fit to stick the gobbledygook speaking Sims down one of the internet's most popular tubes, YouTube. The Sims On Stage is essentially a Sims-branded (you might say Sim-ian) YouTube, with the added dangers of karaoke, video poetry and of course, The Sims content. You can thank / blame EA's acquisition of SingShot Media back in February if you want.Of the many make-your-own-video features the beta site offers, encouraging users to squeal their way through "thousands" of available karaoke songs and upload the recorded results is by far the most terrifying. EA's press release assures us that it's all for the sake of expressing "creativity," a term we feel may have been confused with one meaning "penchant for torturing complete strangers." It's a penchant we share, since we've embedded one of the first obnoxiously loud creations to be spawned by the site after the break.
WoW is among five most popular game communities
ActionTrip put together a pretty interesting list that includes World of Warcraft-- they've tried to list the top five most popular game communities. Online gaming is just a huge pasttime, obviously (thanks in large part to Blizzard's magnum online opus), and so there are quite a few communities that have built up around various games. But they've supposedly crunched the numbers, and they say they've come up with the five biggest.The Sims, Counterstrike, and Halo are all predictably on the list, as is World of Warcraft. Not too unexpected-- these aren't just the biggest communities in online gaming, they're also four of the biggest games of all time. But most surprising, RuneScape also joins the others. It's a Java-based (as in played in your browser) MMORPG that's basically an updated, graphical MUD. And their numbers are very surprising-- they have 9 million free accounts playing, as well as 1 million paid accounts, which (if those were all separate users, which I doubt) would put them in range of WoW itself. Of course, a free game (that's played in a browser and not bought in a store) will always have a larger available playerbase than a retail game that has a subscription charge, but considering that 13% of all PC gamers have reportedly played RuneScape, that's a pretty big deal.The other interesting, WoW-related fact that ActionTrip dug up is this: apparently PC gamers are still playing WoW more than four times as much as any other PC game. There's no question that since its inception, WoW has changed the face of PC gaming, and no matter what happens in the future, it's currently one of the biggest videogame communities in history.[ via WorldofWar.net ]
Joystiq hands-on: MySims
Your enjoyment of MySims -- EA's Nintendo exclusive Sims title -- will be directly tied to how appealing you find its style. If you've glossed over screenshots and felt a toothache coming on, then you should step aside before you get hurt. However, if you're like us and the sight of it makes you you squeal like a 12 year old girl watching High School Musical, then congratulations: you've found your new favorite obsession.Like all great sandboxes, creating and accessorizing your character is half the fun of MySims and here, you don't have any pesky genders to get in the way. Taking your customization a step further is a voice editor that allows you to pick from a variety of pre-sets and then alter the pitch to find the Simlish tone you're looking for. Naturally, progressing through the game unlocks new fashions for your character, so those who spent dozens of hours finding their perfect look in Animal Crossing will have more than enough reasons to make more room for mirror-time.Not surprisingly, the Animal Crossing comparison doesn't end with the superficial. %Gallery-1810%
City of Heroes soaring to film, TV
Movie studio execs, we need to have a talk. We just don't understand the video game properties you're turning into movies now. First, there was The Sims, which still has us throwing up in our mouths a bit. Now, Transformers producer Tom DeSanto has picked up the rights to the City of Heroes MMORPG. There are apparently plans to turn it in to a big budget film and then into a TV series. Honestly, what are you guys doing?Now, don't get us wrong, we'd love to see the first good superheroes vs. aliens flick since Independence Day (you didn't know Bill Pullman was a superhero?). And we can certainly understand the financial motivation. But what are you really buying with City of Heroes? Is it the name recognition? That won't help you with the mainstream moviegoers. Is the characters? Are you really dropping coin for The Statesman? We just don't get it, why call it City of Heroes? You know, you make a movie called Flying Town or Metropolis of Super-hard Punching, and you don't have to pay a dime. It can be the exact same thing, just with a different title. This, of course, comes as bad news for producers of Sims movie, as there's already a film about people speaking gibberish for 90 minutes and then dying in a room filled with their own fecal matter. It's called White Chicks.[Via Sci Fi Wire, Thanks, Ryan Gioia]
New listings for The Sims: Castaway Stories on Wii and DS
The Sims 2: Castaway Stories, the new tropical island-themed entry in the series, may be heading to DS. Gamefly, the online rental service, has the game listed on its site. According to the listing, it's due for an October 11th release.It's a shame this is coming out in October, as this would make a great summer title. Who wouldn't want to sit on the beach, stylus in one hand, cocktail in the other, designing the perfect holiday island paradise?The stylus should suit the series perfectly; getting that beach furniture in just the right spot should be a cinch. As well as the usual Sims fare, there will also be a story mode wherein you'll be able to guide your character through life's various challenges; don't be surprised if there's a whole heap of romance in there, too.[Via Siliconera]
World of Warcraft credit card, chaaaaaaarge!
A new wave of e-currency is almost upon us with the announcement from Blizzard that they are offering World of Warcraft themed Visa cards that turn real world spending into fake world game time. The card will take 1% of what you charge and turn it into minutes that you can use to visit Azeroth. So, if you want to rack up a lot of time, hand this to a big spender.This comes on the heels of The Sims credit card, which will likely be something similar. MAKE magazine said we'd be seeing something like this a year ago, and it looks like they were right. Here's hoping they take our real world purchases and turn them into in game money, because they don't take credit cards in Ironforge, and some of the stuff we want is pretty darned expensive.[Via WoW Insider]
Moving The Sims from PC to Wii
At GDC, Maxis Game Designer Robin Hunicke spoke about her process of transferring The Sims to the Wii. Her team was excited to be working on a Wii title because of its new controller and Nintendo's history, but Hunicke's most important lesson was to stay true to the defining elements of a franchise instead of starting over for a new console.Hunicke said, "The Wii is so cool ... oh my gosh. ... Almost everyone on my team is a Nintendo fan. Almost all game developers are Nintendo fans. ... We were really excited to build a [Wii] game." But since the team began work well before the console's launch, they only had tradeshow experiences and Nintendo ads to approach the MySims design.Hunicke noticed the clean lines, family oriented approach, and tactile aesthetics of the early Wii marketing material. She followed those elements instead of trying to build the game around flailing controller movements. Hunicke said, "We wanted to bring The Sims to the Wii in a way that we could say we were at home on the Wii."%Gallery-2064%
GDC 07: MySims goes to Wii, gets rid of pee
"OMG! The Wii is so cool," an enthusiastic female developer screams during a GDC session. That developer is Robin Hunicke, designer of the upcoming Wii-exclusive MySims. Designing the title began long before the team had a chance to get their hands on the system, so they had to rely on the "aesthetic" of Nintendo's advertising. "We wanted to bring The Sims to the Wii in a way that we could say we were at home on the Wii," she said, trying to find a unique look, style and feel for the Wii version.Converting a game for play on Wii doesn't necessarily mean changing everything. What the team focused on was how it feels to touch the characters on screen with the Wiimote: wild, flailing actions probably wouldn't be appropriate for a title such as this. One of the biggest changes that needed to be made was how the game was managed: there was a great deal of opposition to focusing on a single character (rather than a large family), and there was an even greater uproar against the loss of urination, and other micromanagement features.Streamlining The Sims process was key to moving the franchise to the Wii, and that's where the character designs came from. Although they look strangely like Mii, the look wasn't based on Nintendo's character creation system. The lead character designer, when showing off her simplified look for Wii Sims, was told: "it's perfect."See also:Joystiq: Moving The Sims from PC to WiiGallery: MySims design processGallery: MySims
EA announces My Sims for US release on Wii and DS
Remember that whacky, Japanese-centric version of The Sims that EA cooked up for the Wii? Well, they finally got around to announcing it for us! MySims will be making its way to the Nintendo Wii and DS this Fall and boy are we ever excited. Ever since The Urbz (Serious question: Does anyone even remember The Urbz?) The Sims have been due for a serious makeover. Turning them into adorable, toy-like kiddies seems like a step in the right direction. At least until we get over that whole "Uncanny Valley" nonsense, anyways. EA also launched a new website to promote the game where you can view an English language version of the original trailer. Check out the screenshots below and start hoping for some sort of WiFi Connect gameplay to pop up in the months to come. %Gallery-1810%
December NPD: PC gaming on the rise, influenced by WoW factor
Each cycle of consoles brings with it the exaggerated tale of PC gaming slipping into the abyss, slowly coughing binary blood into its pillow and begging for a merciful shutdown sequence. The last batch of NPD results, recently updated to include data for PC software, indicates that PC gaming still has some life left in it. GameDaily BIZ reports that the PC sector saw revenues in excess of $970 million, a one percent increase over last year. A minimal improvement, to be sure, but a turn-around from a steady decline witnessed in the last few years. Blizzard's World of Warcraft being the biggest selling game of 2006 is no surprise, but the rest of the top ten might raise an eyebrow or two (three for our deformed mutant readers). PC gaming might not be dead, but it is being dominated by a single game -- The Sims. Five of the ten top-selling titles are part of the Sims franchise, with The Sims 2 and a duo of expansion packs besting even Bethesda's Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Though WoW has several stereotypical nerd connotations, it actually boasts a lot in common with The Sims. Both have been shown to draw in male and female players, presenting experiences that unfold within as much time as the user dedicates to the game. They both center on a social experience, even though that's largely personified by lumps of polygons and AI routines in The Sims. Is a more social, more casual experience the key to retail success in PC gaming? It seems that way. It could also be attributed as the source of PC gaming's supposed death, with hardcore gamers feeling alienated and seeing fewer traditional titles climbing up the charts and onto their hard drives.
EA announces The Sims Stories
Just in case you haven't had your fill of being an insidiously manipulative being who rearranges the furniture in a man's house while he sleeps, EA has announced a trio of new Sims games. The Sims Stories is composed of three different standalone titles, namely Life Stories, Pet Stories and Castaway Stories. Getting all three will presumably allow you to follow the journey of a stranded couple forced to eat their beagle and flee from vicious seagulls intent on pecking their eyes out.That's not true, but it should give you another idea of what the standout feature is for The Sims Stories -- it's, umm, a storyline! According to EA's website, "the new and engaging directed Story mode" promises to "take your Sims through a unique and entertaining storyline full of romance, conflict and dramatic twists." We're guessing said twist involves the the entire universe being uninstalled.EA is labeling the games as "laptop friendly," which really means they don't require fancy 3D graphics cards to run. Get involved in a compelling, virtual love story on your laptop this February.[Via The Last Boss. Thanks Tom.]
Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability
As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.
The Sims moving to Wii
With the huge success of the Sims series, we aren't surprised to see it branching out to the latest consoles. While the Sims have taken on more adult themes, the upcoming Wii version looks like the game had a rough run-in with Animal Crossing. The characters and topics now resemble those found in games directed towards kids and adults who turn away from high graphics and violence. The trailer shows characters flouncing about doing Animal Crossing-esque gestures with added facial expressions and sounds. While the trailer is void of controller use and character creation, a few screenshots give viewers a glimpse. As usual, our non-existent command of the Japanese language limits what we can gather from the site. Still, this title may be worth keeping up with. Catch the video after the break! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
UK software sales chart, Nov. 5-11: The Brits dig GTA
Despite falling one spot from last week, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is the top handheld in the United Kingdom for the second week in a row. Now, If there's one PSP franchise that's guaranteed to have massive success, it's gotta be Grand Theft Auto.
