INDUSTRY

• What platform was it released for?

  Firstly PC and mobile but eventually was reached Xbox and Playstation
• Who developed it?

  EA and Firemonkey studios

  -fire monkey studios is a subsidiary of EA
• What type of game is the Sims FP?

  Freemium= free to download but has in-app purchases
• How does the game use product placement? (INDUSTRY)

  items and tasks can be sponsored, players can gain in game currency through watching adverts
• Who regulates video games and how do they regulate them?

  PEGI (Pan European Games Information)

  they do not enforce the age limit required to but the game only provide advisory information
• How does sims freeplay make money(INDUSTRY)

  EA rely on in game purchases and advertising

  -Audiences are encourages to make in app purchases to get Simoleon currency to buy 'stuff packs'
• Significance of EA?

  EA has a reputation for big budget Triple A games that have had huge successes so may have a pre-sold audience of fans of EA and previous SIMS games for sims FP
• How is EA efficient at publishing games such as sims FP?

  EA is horizontally and vertically integrated meaning they can develop, publish and market games themselves.
• EA mobile has over 800 staff in the US just to work on mobile gaming
• EA mobile has 9 offices around the world reflecting the increasing popularity of mobile and casual gaming
• Maxis developed the original SIMS game and began the franchise
• How did EA horizontally integrate?

  EA recognised the potential of the game and bought Maxis in 1997
• How many downloads does Sims FP have?

  200 million
• How does it target a worldwide audience?

  The game is available in 11 different global languages in addition to English. This helps it target a worldwide audience
• Upside of freemium/mobile gaming?

  -Distributing games digitally via App Store is much cheaper than hard copy distribution (maximising profit, minimising risk)
• Downside of freemium/mobile gaming?

  -Mobile games have to have constant updates to cope with the updates released for mobile operating systems

  -Must also release regular updates/content updates to keep audiences playing the game and making in-app purchases (minimises risk and maximises profit)

  -Popular updates included owning pets, second story buildings
• Example of Sims synergetic partnerships?

  -Baby Ariel

  -Care Bears

  -Moschino

  -Sponsorships allows money to be invested into the game whilst Sims advertises products for the brand.
• How did EA market the game?

  -Used trailers to show off the new features added to the game (e.g. pregnancy, pets)

  -This promotes new games to players online or previous players to rejoin because of the update

  -Made full use of social media (twitter, IG, facebook) as they know that modern casual gamers are spending increasing time online
• PEGI Rating?

  12+ due to mild references to alcohol, sex, profanity and other adult/mature themes

  However issue with mobile gaming due to how easy 12 year olds could download without permission and break regulation rules.
• Issues with PEGI and app games?

  -Easy for underage people to access

  -Hard for EA to self regulate a mobile game's content due to what is legal or socially acceptable (varies from country to country) yet still distributed online to where global players can access

  -Sims is banned in 7 different countries, specifically Asia due to inclusion of LGBTQ content (culturally different/illegal)
• How do EA keep audiences happy?

  EA regularly invites feedback from them and suggestions for the game via social media, EA forums

  -Audiences were the ones who suggested pregnancy as being desirable in the game and therefore received this