Sims 3 online features revealed, analyst says game could sell 4m in '09

by Alexander Sliwinski { Apr 30th 2009 at 4:45PM }

EA announced all of The Sims 3's community and microtransaction features today. TheSims3.com will become the hub site for all community and marketing features when the game births June 2. Players can use "The Exchange," which allows megalomaniacs to search and browse content, plus the site also allows the creation of movies and stories. More importantly for EA, there is also "The Sims 3 Store," an online retail location where users spend real money for SimPoints, which grants access to premium content.

Meanwhile, Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey predicts that Sims 3 could sell over 4 million units in 2009, reports Gamasutra. Hickey has no estimate about how much The Sims 3 Store's premium content will add to the EA coffers. Seriously, though, parents: watch that credit card when little Susie or Michael starts begging for plaid furniture for their virtual dollhouse.

Source - The Sims 3 Full Online Feature Set
Source - Analyst: Sims 3 Could Sell 4 Million In '09

Tags: ea, electronic-arts, janco-partners, microtransaction, microtransactions, mike-hickey, sims-3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ryoga Vee @ Apr 30th 2009 4:53PM

If only EA could have figured out how to do micro transactions during the sims 1-2 days.
There were so many sites making money hand over foot on EA's backs. It will be nice to see how EA runs with this.

R @ Apr 30th 2009 5:04PM

microtransactions are ***

[And if I use that word again in a pejorative way I will be banned.]

WiNG [XBL&Steam: WiNGSPANTT] from lifeinagame.com @ Apr 30th 2009 5:25PM

says the loser with the lesbian hentai princess avatar?

MarkHawk @ Apr 30th 2009 5:27PM

Nothing wrong with that ;D

R @ Apr 30th 2009 5:28PM

-1 for not recognizing princess peach and zelda.
and another therotical -1 for not being able to come up with a better retort to an obvious opinon than a personal attack.

Dont be a lawyer when you grow up kid.

R @ Apr 30th 2009 5:37PM

Oh come on. Ive seen that word used that way on this site like 15 times this week. The hell?

Manly Mcbeefigan (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 30th 2009 6:55PM

Also in this case is Yuri and Yuri is win 99% of the times.

WiNG [XBL&Steam: WiNGSPANTT] from lifeinagame.com @ Apr 30th 2009 8:04PM

Yeah I was hating on you because you're an intolerant punk, not because of your picture. (and yes I did know who they were). I think the person that needs to grow up is the sexually insecure one.

R @ Apr 30th 2009 9:30PM

I'm sexually insecure because my avatar is two fictional characters making out. I think the fact that it seems to bother you so much speaks miles about your character.

It's 2009. Most people are on this train called tolerance now. Maybe you should get aboard.

Gavin @ Apr 30th 2009 5:05PM

Will it suck as much as Spore? Or if you were an Amiga fan back in the day "The biggest unanswered question is, Where is the money?" The answer: Countless pointless expansions to help you try and build what is released as a half-ass game that depends upon said expansions. I think I hate The Sims more than any other game franchise in history.

Zertoss @ Apr 30th 2009 5:15PM

Nude/Uncensor Mod: $5
Penis Shower Head: $5
Sex Animations: $10
The look on your mother's face when she discovers your shower orgy: Priceless

WiNG [XBL&Steam: WiNGSPANTT] from lifeinagame.com @ Apr 30th 2009 5:25PM

Hey the movie thing could be awesome. The machinima possibilities are endless!

BigD145 @ Apr 30th 2009 7:20PM

Yeah, but they've already been done on Sims 2 and The Movies. Expect many repeats.

MarkHawk @ Apr 30th 2009 5:31PM

Does anyone feel this wont be the blockbuster everyone is expecting? I feel a major % audience may have moved to handhelds or the Wii.

To be fair I'm not a fan of these games but I just don't see the 9 Million audience.

MarkHawk @ Apr 30th 2009 5:32PM

Sorry 4 million*

R @ Apr 30th 2009 5:36PM

You underestimate the power of the sims. Every single female gamer I know plays the Sims 2, and plans to buy the Sims 3.

I can see 4 million happening no sweat.

Bubbameister33 @ Apr 30th 2009 6:47PM

I came home to find my cousin watching developer diaries. She was pissed when it got delayed.

MarkHawk @ Apr 30th 2009 7:32PM

Alright, you are renewing my faith. The girl gamers I know are more into the casual 360 scene such as castle crashers and a kingdom for keflings.

Jess Q. @ May 1st 2009 11:59AM

I want to argue with your assessment that most of the audience (i.e. mostly girls) have moved to the Wii and handhelds, but I can't because it's probably true.

Not for ME, but for "most" girls. Then again, rather than make lots of guy sims fall in love with each other like most girls do, I just like building intricate death traps for sims of all sexes and waiting for the grim reaper to come.

I hear "microtransation" and I think, "company that specifically does NOT want my money." Maybe I'm guilty of buying some Rock Band song packs here and there, but there's no way I'm gonna pay for content in a Sims game after I buy it at the store, and it's hilarious for them to even ask it of me. ;p

Anticrawl @ Apr 30th 2009 5:33PM

Bleh, I wish the Sims 3 had a decent online component. Like allowing you and 5 of your other friends to create your own neighborhood/city block. You can all be logged in at the same time to mingle/trade/etc but if someone isn't online their house will run through the motions anyway until they log back in and it will update their home/characters. Would add a whole new level of awesome to a stale series.

Einhanderkiller @ Apr 30th 2009 8:56PM

Maybe modders could somehow add those features. I mean, modders did make some pretty amazing stuff like TES IV: Oblivion multiplayer and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas multiplayer (the latter gets around 75,000 players a day while the former barely works, but does work).

ice~ @ Apr 30th 2009 6:01PM

sex

BigD145 @ Apr 30th 2009 7:21PM

4 million?! Are there that many females on the internets?

Kevin @ Apr 30th 2009 8:28PM

What you think about piracy? I think it will be a big concern with the game comes out. The Sims have always been a target for piracy, yet on the back end they have been one of the most bought game series of all time. I hope EA doesn't try a Spore or Red Alert 3 tactic on it because it is pretty much pointless this time