'Family Fun Stuff' Sims 2 Content Pack Announced

[fitbabits]

Thanks to Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net) for the inevitable news (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63336).

Sims 2 fans who've already plundered Open For Business won't have to wait all that long for more - EA's planning to release a "Family Fun Stuff" pack on April 13th for £9.99.

Family Fun Stuff will be released at retail and consists of 60 new items for Sims fans to play around with - and as you might imagine it's all the sorts of things that a growing family might want.

There are castle beds, cruise ship replicas, numerous bedroom sets including an underwater theme, a nautical theme living room, plus Hawaiian clothing, an octopus toy chest called, er Toyboxtopus and dragon costumes among other things.
If cash cows were real, living animals, I'd be tempted to report Electronic Arts to the authorities for abuse.

[Sl1pstream]

1 expansion every two months then? Sure, it isn't that expensive but couldn't they just add it to the next expansion pack? It's not like it's going to take them long to release another one.

[fitbabits]

1 expansion every two months then? Sure, it isn't that expensive but couldn't they just add it to the next expansion pack? It's not like it's going to take them long to release another one.
Because they would be cheating the die-hard Sims fans out of their regular fix (according to a fictional Electronic Arts spokesperson).

[Royal Fool]

It's not really a full expansion pack, just a content pack. They did the same thing during the holidays with their "Holiday Party Pack". It's just another way to easily squeeze out some extra bucks.

It's just the same strategy as the content packs for Battlefield 2.

[Heretic Machine]

Well, Will Wright has to fund Spore one way or another...

[Lodin]

And on that note I have it on good authority that the next full expansion (this thing is really just a min ad-on) is going to center around pets.

[fitbabits]

It's not really a full expansion pack, just a content pack. They did the same thing during the holidays with their "Holiday Party Pack". It's just another way to easily squeeze out some extra bucks.

It's just the same strategy as the content packs for Battlefield 2.
Thanks - I fixed the title. :)

[NoName]

So... a single guy at EA spent two weeks making some random content with, and EA sells it for 10 dollars a pop? And this sells?

Goodness, I forget Spore is under the EA umbrella. If EA manages to ruin Spore somehow...

[Naz]

Goodness, I forget Spore is under the EA umbrella. If EA manages to ruin Spore somehow...

I believe that Will Wright is quite possibly the only man who EA will not shove around, and to boot, will even listen to him. The Spore team is a team dedicated solely to that project, unlike EA's other games in which a game gets shoved around from office to office with different people all over to get it done quicker.

[Sl1pstream]

Creature content packs, planet content packs, etc etc.

[The Continental]

So... a single guy at EA spent two weeks making some random content with, and EA sells it for 10 dollars a pop? And this sells?

Why this surprises anyone still is beyond me. This business model is clearly where the industry is going, as evidenced by Everquest 1 & 2, Anything made by Valve, BF2, The Sims 2, Guild Wars, etc. Devlopers have finally figured out that while you're working on a full fledged expansion or sequel you can have a smaller team cranking out additional content for your existing title to supplement your income quite nicely.

I also fail to see why there are so many complaints, nobody is forcing you to buy anything. If you don't like Content pack A, maybe Content Pack B will have something you do like.

More content is a good thing, anyway you cut it.

[Sl1pstream]

I also fail to see why there are so many complaints, nobody is forcing you to buy anything. If you don't like Content pack A, maybe Content Pack B will have something you do like.

More content is a good thing, anyway you cut it.

It becomes a problem when the content for the old stuff gets in the way of creating new stuff. Then again, half of the content/expansions released for the Sims 2 is just stuff that they added in Sims 1 expansion packs and then left out of the Sims 2.

[NoName]

I also fail to see why there are so many complaints, nobody is forcing you to buy anything. If you don't like Content pack A, maybe Content Pack B will have something you do like.

More content is a good thing, anyway you cut it.
For some reason, in my mind additional content should be free and just added as initiative for me to buy something. There's plenty of games out there that offer additional content for free, and offer user tools for people to make their own content.

I think there's a difference between content and functionality. I don't want to pay for the ability to have a new item in the game. I will on the other hand pay if the expansion pack includes new functionality to the game, or shows that the developers put a lot of work in developing the new content.

I just don't think these new "items" really constitues a lot of development work.

[KarmaGhost]

It's funny because I didn't think anyone would mention Will Wright and Spore in this thread, but I guess I was wrong. Damn, we EvAv'ers are with it! :p

[The Continental]

For some reason, in my mind additional content should be free and just added as initiative for me to buy something. There's plenty of games out there that offer additional content for free, and offer user tools for people to make their own content.

I think there's a difference between content and functionality. I don't want to pay for the ability to have a new item in the game. I will on the other hand pay if the expansion pack includes new functionality to the game, or shows that the developers put a lot of work in developing the new content.

I just don't think these new "items" really constitues a lot of development work.

The tradeoff in that regard is that this pay content seems to come out a heck of a lot faster than the free stuff. Also keep in mind this is the Sims, I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think there has ever been additional free content for this franchise.

In the case of an FPS, I like everyone enjoy the semi-annual free map packs and things of that nature, but I certainly wouldn't object to paying $5 or so every two months for a new map pack and a new weapon or something along those lines.

[Sl1pstream]

Also keep in mind this is the Sims, I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think there has ever been additional free content for this franchise.

There were character skins and other stuff for the first sims.

[Deadend]

I don't consider a couple new items to be new content, unless they add new animations and new kinds of interaction.

This is just a skin pack for $10.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

It's really sad to see free updates and content go the way of the dodo. Why support your customers with free content when you can charge for it? EA and MS are really leading the way into the future. :rolleyes: