If even the smallest doubt existed that Maxis and EA Games have declared February the official month of The Sims 4 , those doubts are fading fast.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , Maxis and EA Games released a trial of The Sims 4 via the Origin Game Time service. While the trials were met with the same mixed reviews The Sims 4 has earned since its release in September 2014, Maxis continued its push to bring new and reluctant players into the fold by offering a 33 percent discount on The Sims 4 as the 48-hour trial period came to a close.
It seems that not enough trial players purchased the game, because until February 16, players who sampled The Sims 4 on Game Time can acquire the game at a whopping 50 percent discount . It’s worth noting that EA frequently discounts games via their Origin download service. Dragon Age: Inquisition was met with critical acclaim, and is almost universally considered the best game of 2014 . Dragon Age: Inquisition is currently on sale via Origin for 33 percent off of the $59.99 MSRP. The 1997 hospital simulation game Theme Hospital has been listed for free on Origin for several weeks. So a discount, even one as deep as 50 percent, doesn’t necessarily signal that a game is a failure.
Maxis certainly isn’t abandoning The Sims 4. After a remark during the EA Games earnings report in February caused concern, Maxis calmed fans with the announcement that the first expansion pack, The Sims 4: Get to Work , would launch in April 2015.
The latest moves by Maxis and EA Games have some fans concluding that The Sims 4 has failed , but figuring out if or by how much The Sims 4 has failed is difficult to determine. Unlike it’s predecessor, The Sims 4 was available via download at launch. Also, unlike it’s predecessor, The Sims 4 was not available for Mac users at launch. In fact, the much anticipated Mac versions of The Sims 4 and it’s gameplay pack, The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat , will not be available until February 17.
Some longtime fans of The Sims franchise remain unconvinced. Sometimes Maxis seems to have more of a PR problem with The Sims 4 than anything else.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Maxis developers challenged players to rack four million woohoos during Valentines Day weekend. If players meet the challenge, Maxis will release a new gnome in the March content patch update. If players beat the challenge, Maxis will also release a new hairstyle in the March content patch.
There’s been no word so far on how The Sims 4 players have met the challenge, but at least one fan is skeptical of the motives behind the woo hoo challenge.
“You heard about the woohoo challenge ? You guys are supposed to let your Sims woohoo the whole weekend and IF the goal is reached you get an ugly gnome and a hairdo for your Sims. Am I the only one who finds this utterly ridiculous? BTW the data is evaluated by activating ‘share user data’ in the game options. Does that ring a bell?”
