Paying nickels and dimes to buy additional content in games isn't going away anytime soon, and, in fact, it looks like EA may be doubling down on microtransactions by announcing a new partnership with Live Gamer, which will run all of EA's "microtransaction projects" and will help "accelerate the company's online gaming strategy."
The press release doesn't mention any specific games, but just off the top of my head, this deal seems particularly relevant to EA's social gaming arm, Playfish, responsible for Pet Society and FIFA Superstars on Facebook, as well as its casual gaming portal Pogo, which has had microtransactions for a while now. EA has also started to integrate more microtransactions in its blockbuster console games as well: Madden NFL Football debuted microtransactions in the 2010 edition, Dragon Age and Dead Space (among other EA console games) also rolled out additional downloadable content.
A recent study says microtransactions will grow to $7 billion globally by 2015, so it's no surprise that Live Gamer's picking up new clients, which includes THQ and Real Networks' GameHouse. I'm sure we'll be hearing similar news from other traditional game publishers in the near future -- the success of selling virtual goods has everyone seeing dollar signs.
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Showing posts with label ea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ea. Show all posts
Friday, February 10, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Restaurant City's Bazaar Week provides a taste of Moroccan Luxury
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Falafel lovers rejoice! Restaurant City has rolled out a Moroccan Bazaar theme that is both luxurious and exotic. A Bazaar is a permanent market selling a great variety of things, similar to what you might call a flea market. Yet, traditional Bazaars have taken on a now iconic look, and with Restaurant City's new theme you can fill your eatery with the eastern items. As usual, the Restaurant City update features new items, appliances, decor, and recipes. You can even turn your restaurant into a full-fledged, trendy hookah bar. Let your imaginations run wild my friends!
Continue reading to see pictures and prices of all the new Bazaar Week items.
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Chairs
Turkish Sofa - 1,200 Coins or Free Gift
Blue Moroccan Chair - 1,500 Coins
Red Moroccan Chair - 1,800 Coins
Pink Moroccan Chair - 2,000 Coins
Blue Moroccan Sofa - 2,600 Coins
Pink Moroccan Sofa - 2,600 Coins
Red Moroccan Sofa - 2,600 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Tables
Large Gilded Table - 3 Playfish Cash
Star Side Table - 900 Coins or Free Gift
Octagon Side Table - 1,300 Coins
Small Gilded Table - 1,600 Coins
Large Octagonal Side Table - 1,800 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Wall Decorations
Moroccan Wall Lamp - 6,000 Coins with email permission
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Decorations
Exotic Vase - 4 Playfish Cash
Red African Floor Lamp - 5 Playfish Cash
Tunisian Rug - 6 Playfish Cash
Moroccan Archway - 8 Playfish Cash
Moroccan Market Archway - 14 Playfish Cash
Pink Moroccan Corner Sofa - 1,000 Coins or Free Gift
Silver Kettle - 1,000 Coins or Free Gift
Moroccan Divider - 1,700 Coins
Moroccan Divider Block - 1,700 Coins
Red Moroccan Corner Sofa - 2,800 with email permission
Gold Kettle - 3,000 Coins with email permission
Hookah - 6,500 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Blue African Floor Lamp - 10,000 Coins
Hookah Customer - 14,000 Coins
Turkish Rug - 15,000 Coins
Humble Waiter - 17,000 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Functional
Mosaic Toilet - 8 Playfish Cash - Works without breaking 8 times longer and works 60% faster
Mosaic Sink - 12,000 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Wallpapers
Dark Tunisian Wallpaper - 3,200 Coins
Light Tunisian Wallpaper - 3,200 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Floor Tiles
Brown Moroccan Tile - 35 Coins
Red Imperial Tile - 45 Coins
Brown Imperial Tile - 45 Coins
Turkish Stone Tile - 70 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Kitchen Appliances
Turkish Stove - 20 Playfish Cash - serves 15% faster
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Recipes
Mint Tea - Tea Leaves, Mint, Water
Doner Kebab - Flour, Lamb, Onion, Salad
Moroccan Lamb Shank - Lamb, Lamb, Mint, Coriander
Click here to play Restaurant City>
Falafel lovers rejoice! Restaurant City has rolled out a Moroccan Bazaar theme that is both luxurious and exotic. A Bazaar is a permanent market selling a great variety of things, similar to what you might call a flea market. Yet, traditional Bazaars have taken on a now iconic look, and with Restaurant City's new theme you can fill your eatery with the eastern items. As usual, the Restaurant City update features new items, appliances, decor, and recipes. You can even turn your restaurant into a full-fledged, trendy hookah bar. Let your imaginations run wild my friends!
Continue reading to see pictures and prices of all the new Bazaar Week items.
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Chairs
Turkish Sofa - 1,200 Coins or Free Gift
Blue Moroccan Chair - 1,500 Coins
Red Moroccan Chair - 1,800 Coins
Pink Moroccan Chair - 2,000 Coins
Blue Moroccan Sofa - 2,600 Coins
Pink Moroccan Sofa - 2,600 Coins
Red Moroccan Sofa - 2,600 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Tables
Large Gilded Table - 3 Playfish Cash
Star Side Table - 900 Coins or Free Gift
Octagon Side Table - 1,300 Coins
Small Gilded Table - 1,600 Coins
Large Octagonal Side Table - 1,800 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Wall Decorations
Moroccan Wall Lamp - 6,000 Coins with email permission
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Decorations
Exotic Vase - 4 Playfish Cash
Red African Floor Lamp - 5 Playfish Cash
Tunisian Rug - 6 Playfish Cash
Moroccan Archway - 8 Playfish Cash
Moroccan Market Archway - 14 Playfish Cash
Pink Moroccan Corner Sofa - 1,000 Coins or Free Gift
Silver Kettle - 1,000 Coins or Free Gift
Moroccan Divider - 1,700 Coins
Moroccan Divider Block - 1,700 Coins
Red Moroccan Corner Sofa - 2,800 with email permission
Gold Kettle - 3,000 Coins with email permission
Hookah - 6,500 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Blue African Floor Lamp - 10,000 Coins
Hookah Customer - 14,000 Coins
Turkish Rug - 15,000 Coins
Humble Waiter - 17,000 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Functional
Mosaic Toilet - 8 Playfish Cash - Works without breaking 8 times longer and works 60% faster
Mosaic Sink - 12,000 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Wallpapers
Dark Tunisian Wallpaper - 3,200 Coins
Light Tunisian Wallpaper - 3,200 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Floor Tiles
Brown Moroccan Tile - 35 Coins
Red Imperial Tile - 45 Coins
Brown Imperial Tile - 45 Coins
Turkish Stone Tile - 70 Coins
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Kitchen Appliances
Turkish Stove - 20 Playfish Cash - serves 15% faster
restaurant city bazaar morocco
Recipes
Mint Tea - Tea Leaves, Mint, Water
Doner Kebab - Flour, Lamb, Onion, Salad
Moroccan Lamb Shank - Lamb, Lamb, Mint, Coriander
Click here to play Restaurant City>
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Sims Social runs on Dunkin' with in-game items and boosts
Look, The Sims are people, too (sort of), and deserve a cup 'o joe every once in awhile. EA has come out of the gate swinging with The Sims Social, backing it up already with an in-game promotion by Dunkin' Donuts. The American coffee and donuts chain officially announced that several of its menu items have been given the Simlish treatment in an ambitious six-month long campaign.
Once a month for the next six months, players can send their friends one coffee and one food item (pictured) for an extra boost. (Well, then these better be pretty massive boosts.)
Aside from the usual gifting, players will also unlock Dunkin' Donuts-themed consumables as they progress through the game. Finally, if players "Like" the Dunkin' Donuts Facebook page, they'll score two more items to decorate their Sims' homes with, one of which is a beach chair that their Sims can relax on and drink Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
However, a point driven by EA and Dunkin' Donuts is that this brand integration is relevant to The Sims Social and adds a level of realism. Regardless of how relevant it is, while it's much appreciated, this is still a marketing push. However, it speaks volumes to not only how quickly The Sims Social is growing--it's already reached over 7 million players despite its launch issues--but how confident EA is in the game.
If not built around a brand entirely, most Facebook games need to hit several millions of players before even considering bringing in brand integration. It seems as if The Sims brand is speaking for itself in The Sims Social's rapid growth, but what we're all waiting for is to see how far that will take the game and for how long can it keep the momentum. One game has to touch FarmVille numbers eventually, and perhaps we're looking right at it.
Are you digging the Dunkin' Donuts branding in The Sims Social? Do you think this game is EA's way into the ring with Zynga?
Once a month for the next six months, players can send their friends one coffee and one food item (pictured) for an extra boost. (Well, then these better be pretty massive boosts.)
Aside from the usual gifting, players will also unlock Dunkin' Donuts-themed consumables as they progress through the game. Finally, if players "Like" the Dunkin' Donuts Facebook page, they'll score two more items to decorate their Sims' homes with, one of which is a beach chair that their Sims can relax on and drink Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
However, a point driven by EA and Dunkin' Donuts is that this brand integration is relevant to The Sims Social and adds a level of realism. Regardless of how relevant it is, while it's much appreciated, this is still a marketing push. However, it speaks volumes to not only how quickly The Sims Social is growing--it's already reached over 7 million players despite its launch issues--but how confident EA is in the game.
If not built around a brand entirely, most Facebook games need to hit several millions of players before even considering bringing in brand integration. It seems as if The Sims brand is speaking for itself in The Sims Social's rapid growth, but what we're all waiting for is to see how far that will take the game and for how long can it keep the momentum. One game has to touch FarmVille numbers eventually, and perhaps we're looking right at it.
Are you digging the Dunkin' Donuts branding in The Sims Social? Do you think this game is EA's way into the ring with Zynga?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Sims Social: Claim your free Plants vs Zombies Sunflower
Among the free Social Points, Simoleons and SimCash given away by Playfish on the Sims Social fan page on Facebook, you can occasionally find the rare, exclusive treasure. Sure, Social Points and SimCash are definitely appreciated, but when it comes to cross-promotions between the Sims Social and Playfish's Plants vs Zombies, well, that's something a bit more special.
For a limited time, you can now claim a Sunflower from Plants vs Zombies for use in your own home as a decoration. If you've spotted this Sunflower hanging around Bella's House when you visit her, you can now claim one for yourself by clicking on this link right here. This link is universal, so anyone can click on it, but you can only do so once (unfortunately). Believe me, I'd love to have an army of Sunflowers lining my garden as well (for the inevitable zombie apocalypse), but hopefully this one will be able to offer enough sunshine to last us a short while, at least until we can dig out the heavy artillery - shotguns and the like. Have I thought too far into this? Probably.
All I know for sure is that this plant is awesome, and Plants vs Zombies is awesome, and you should definitely claim a Sunflower for your house! Just make to do so fast - there's no telling when the link will become inactive, taking your chance at a free Sunflower right along with it!
Have you already claimed your free Sunflower from this Plants vs Zombies cross-promotion? What other games would you like to see incorporated into Sims Social?
For a limited time, you can now claim a Sunflower from Plants vs Zombies for use in your own home as a decoration. If you've spotted this Sunflower hanging around Bella's House when you visit her, you can now claim one for yourself by clicking on this link right here. This link is universal, so anyone can click on it, but you can only do so once (unfortunately). Believe me, I'd love to have an army of Sunflowers lining my garden as well (for the inevitable zombie apocalypse), but hopefully this one will be able to offer enough sunshine to last us a short while, at least until we can dig out the heavy artillery - shotguns and the like. Have I thought too far into this? Probably.
All I know for sure is that this plant is awesome, and Plants vs Zombies is awesome, and you should definitely claim a Sunflower for your house! Just make to do so fast - there's no telling when the link will become inactive, taking your chance at a free Sunflower right along with it!
Have you already claimed your free Sunflower from this Plants vs Zombies cross-promotion? What other games would you like to see incorporated into Sims Social?
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Sims Social celebrates fans with a week of free stuff
Free stuff? Yes, please, I'll take some of that! With almost 61 million players (and climbing), the folks at EA / Playfish have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to the Sims Social on Facebook. As a way to thank their ever-growing player base for their support (even when the game suffered from some nagging loading and gameplay issues), the developers have launched a week long celebration involving free stuff that will be given away, apparently on a daily basis.
To start, we're given a gift of Social Points - a whopping 400 Social Points at that. Since your other methods of earning Social Points normally come in small increments (of 10 or less per action) when visiting friends, this really is a substantial prize. Remember, these Social Points work as a form of third currency in the game, and can be used to purchase exclusive decorations or other home items that aren't available through any other method or currency.
We've also been told that we'll be able to increase our land size in the future, although that wasn't exactly announced in as many words. To be specific, we're asked if we "need more space to build your dream home" and that with that question comes a secret that the developers just couldn't hold in anymore. We're even asked "If you could expand your land, what is the first room you'd build on it?"
Put two and two together here, and you're left with the answer that land size will soon be increasing, although no particular release date was announced (unfortunately). If you're like me, your home has already filled most nooks and crannies of land in our admittedly small square, and is surrounded by outdoor goodies to boot. Being able to increase the size of our house plot is a huge deal, and we'll make sure to let you know when that feature / ability launches as soon as it does.
In the meantime, keep checking back with the game's Facebook fan page for additional links / announcements of free prizes, and click right here to claim your free 400 Social Points.
What sorts of prizes are you hoping to receive in this week-long event of free stuff? What will you purchase with your 400 free Social Points? Sound off in the comments.
To start, we're given a gift of Social Points - a whopping 400 Social Points at that. Since your other methods of earning Social Points normally come in small increments (of 10 or less per action) when visiting friends, this really is a substantial prize. Remember, these Social Points work as a form of third currency in the game, and can be used to purchase exclusive decorations or other home items that aren't available through any other method or currency.
We've also been told that we'll be able to increase our land size in the future, although that wasn't exactly announced in as many words. To be specific, we're asked if we "need more space to build your dream home" and that with that question comes a secret that the developers just couldn't hold in anymore. We're even asked "If you could expand your land, what is the first room you'd build on it?"
Put two and two together here, and you're left with the answer that land size will soon be increasing, although no particular release date was announced (unfortunately). If you're like me, your home has already filled most nooks and crannies of land in our admittedly small square, and is surrounded by outdoor goodies to boot. Being able to increase the size of our house plot is a huge deal, and we'll make sure to let you know when that feature / ability launches as soon as it does.
In the meantime, keep checking back with the game's Facebook fan page for additional links / announcements of free prizes, and click right here to claim your free 400 Social Points.
What sorts of prizes are you hoping to receive in this week-long event of free stuff? What will you purchase with your 400 free Social Points? Sound off in the comments.
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