Gaming Steve: A Sims 3 Teaser Site is Live

March 5, 2008

A Sims 3 Teaser Site is Live

An official EA website has gone live to hype the upcoming, official announcement of what is presumably the next game in the line of the highest selling video game of all time: The Sims 3.

While a sequel to what is arguably EA's biggest cash cow was a no brainier, the fact that its announcement is coming along before the release of Spore is somewhat surprising to me. I expected EA to be trying to make Spore into the next Sims in terms of wide adoption by all manners of gamers, but an announcement like seems a little premature to me.

Either way, I can't wait to see what they have added. I got hooked on the original and the sequel to a lesser extent. I loved building houses (I had dreams of being an architect as a kid, so in a lot of ways it was my dream game), but the addictive, deep, and oddly random gameplay kept me coming back.

Posted by Clayton Ashley at 11:30 PM | Comments (13) | Posted to PC |

Comments

Gods, I could never stand the Sims series. And the endless expansion packs? Leave releasing the same thing over and over with only tiny changes to sports games.

And... sadly, I don't get the obscure gaming reference, possibly because I've only put a few hours into the sims? Any clues? thanks *_*

Posted by Psilontech at March 5, 2008 11:57 PM

I've played the Sims and even I don't know where that's from.

Posted by Eligecos at March 6, 2008 12:48 AM

This is all a bit dependant on when Sims 3 is coming out, but assuming its a Xmas 08 or 2009 release, overall I think the launch of the preview now makes sense. Build up some anticipation of The Sims 3, whilst everyone waits for Spore because there is going to be huge hype around Spore when it launches and Sims 3 is going to get lost in it all. Build the momentum now and then continue it as the hype around Spore decreases.

Of course if it is a late 09 release (or comparing to the time spore took a 2010 release) - its all a bit pointless!

Posted by Riaz at March 6, 2008 4:50 AM

They're probably hedging their bets a bit. While Spore will no doubt be popular, it will probably be a greater success among the hardcore gaming market than among traditional Sims fans. This upcoming announcement is likely intended to reassure the core Sims fanbase that they aren't being forgotten about during the run-up to the Spore launch.

Posted by ArmiMaan at March 6, 2008 11:37 AM

I'm trying to figure out the point of making a new sims and sims engine. I can see the significance between sims 1 and sims 2 going 2D graphics to 3D graphics, but sims 2 to sims 3 is what? 3D to 3D? Not to mention remaking all the graphics that already exist in an attempt to make a profit. It's like, ok, well, what are they going to add to the new series to make people want it?

I would probably only buy it if it wasnt limited to octagonal shapes and placement. I want my walls and ceilings to have curvatures and bends, not just straight wall connected to straight wall via 45 and 90 degree angles. I want couches that are procedural and can be bent into shapes that fit "my" ideas of a living room. Anything short of procedural graphics manipulation will be a disappointment for me. From what I've seen of the sims 3 video (in free time expansion when sims play video games) it looks similar to sims 2, so why upgrade? As it is, with the current graphics level of sims 2 and amount of content, it taxes decent modern machines. I personally dont see a need for a new 3D sims game.

Also, once spore is released, I will have almost no need for any other game aside for MMORPGs, unless they are procedural. I hope procedurality becomes the norm in all games. The ability to create our own "random" games, RPGs, RTSs, MMOs, etc effortlessly and customizably is ideal. If I had the know how and time, I would create my own engine for all to use for free, but I enjoy playing games too much to learn how to make them. Such is life.

Posted by Verkinix at March 6, 2008 1:23 PM

This is an awesome bit of news. I was thinking they were gonna stop after spore, especially since they gave away the rights to Sim City.
I would like a version of the Sims were you could create your own objects like in My Sims. That would be sweet. Plus with the port to High Speed internet so widespread, it could be another attempt at the Sims Online. MMO Sims would be pimp.

Posted by Markonite2 at March 6, 2008 3:33 PM

I do't know why anyone is really surprised about this, they talked about it years ago. It's even been on wikipedia for at least months. This is actually the main reason I stopped buying The Sims 2 expansions, because I know I won't play The Sims 2 after they release The Sims 3.

Posted by Interitus at March 6, 2008 4:22 PM

Hmm, Is it a swimming pool kill referance?
If not then meh.

Posted by Ninteen45 at March 8, 2008 12:05 PM

I'm looking forward to see what they're going to improve. Sims 2 wasn't just a change in graphics, they added the whole generational gameplay, and added wants and fears. That *really* updated the game. If they can come up with new features that are as much of an improvement as that, I'll get it.

(Then again, I'll probably get it anyway. I'm a pure Sims addict.)

Posted by Fobok at March 9, 2008 2:31 PM

Is your canoe reference to canoing in sims castaway?
And sims 3? Well, I guess its good news [well, its not bad news].
For it to be successful [wait, lets change that to "good", cause it will be successful even if it sucks....] it will need some major gameplay innovations.
I'll hold comment till I see some more info. Either way, im still just holding out on Spore.

Posted by Edenist at March 10, 2008 9:31 PM

Like I said, it was really, super obscure. In the original Sims (and I'm almost positive The Sims 2), you would get random phone calls. Some were from old friends asking to talk to you, some told you about your horoscope, but one simply said "Do You Canoe?" and nothing else. Me and my sister (who together played the first for hours and hours) were determined to figure out what it meant. Of course, it didn't actually amount to anything, but me and my sister still joke about the mysterious "canoe call" when we talk about the original sims.

Posted by Clayton at March 11, 2008 12:09 AM

I'll buy The Sims 3 even if it looks exactly like The Sims 2. I love the sequel but I got tired of it because it's too slow, you have to sit an wait 30% of the playtime if you, for example, have a business on another lot... Even if it looks the same in The Sims 3 (which it WON'T for sure) it will be much faster.

Remember, EA has said that the production of The Sims 3 started directly after The Sims 2 was released (probably even before that). They got to have something extraordinary if it has taken them, soon, four years to work on. April 2009 is probably something to look out for...

Posted by Linus at March 12, 2008 6:30 PM

Having now read the preview in Games For Windows Magazine, I can say that I am definitely getting Sims 3. Well, if my system can handle it, that is. Having an entire neighbourhood running at once will probably be taxing on systems.

Posted by Fobok at March 15, 2008 10:28 AM