EA has been having a hard time of late, taking a battering from consumers as “the worst company in America” for 2013, getting torn to pieces in the PC gaming market for poor DRM and lack of responsiveness to consumer feedback and being criticized for its monetizing stance to micro-transactions and DLC. Now it emerges EA is also being hit by declining popularity of its Facebook games to the point where it is now in a process of retiring most of them.
EA has announced it is withdrawing The Sims Social, Sim City Social and Pet Society on June the 14th 2013. EA called the statement a difficult one but found it a necessary one to make. Millions of people initially played these games but apparently user activity has now fallen to the point of non-profit. Players who still play these games are recommended to use their unspent in-game currency because they will not be refunded for it so you might as well “enjoy” it while the games last.
EA’s attempt at compensating those affected by these title closures is by offering them an unspecified PopCap game. EA will make more details of this offer available in-game “soon”. As the title of this story suggests, EA is still retaining some Facebook games – Bejeweled Blitz, Solitaire Blitz and Plants vs Zombies Adventures will all continue.
For those who remember, EA actually filed a lawsuit against Zynga for allegedly copying its Sim Social Facebook game. That case was settled and Zynga said they were “pleased” with the settlement. No doubt Zynga will also be pleased by this news from EA which sees one of their biggest competitors voluntarily chuck itself out of the market.
What are your thoughts on this move by EA?
seriously, I never used in fb gaming apps..
I imagine that Facebook gaming has been hit by mobile. EA has said before that mobile is important, and I guess that Facebook became less important.