A SimCity Update…And Something For Your Trouble

[The Joker]

Here’s a quick update on the problems we were experiencing with SimCity – and a little something extra for people who bought the game.

The server issues which began at launch have improved significantly as we added more capacity. But some people are still experiencing response and stability problems that we’re working fast to address.

So what went wrong? The short answer is: a lot more people logged on than we expected. More people played and played in ways we never saw in the beta.

OK, we agree, that was dumb, but we are committed to fixing it. In the last 48 hours we increased server capacity by 120 percent. It’s working – the number of people who have gotten in and built cities has improved dramatically. The number of disrupted experiences has dropped by roughly 80 percent.

So we’re close to fixed, but not quite there. I’m hoping to post another update this weekend to let everyone know that the launch issues are behind us.

Something Special for Your Trouble

The good news is that SimCity is a solid hit in all major markets. The consensus among critics and players is that this is fundamentally a great game. But this SimCity is made to be played online, and if you can’t get a stable connection, you’re NOT having a good experience. So we’re not going to rest until we’ve fixed the remaining server issues.

And to get us back in your good graces, we’re going to offer you a free PC download game from the EA portfolio. On March 18, SimCity players who have activated their game will receive an email telling them how to redeem their free game.

I know that’s a little contrived – kind of like buying a present for a friend after you did something crummy. But we feel bad about what happened. We’re hoping you won’t stay mad and that we’ll be friends again when SimCity is running at 100 percent.

SimCity is a GREAT game and the people who made it are incredibly proud. Hang in there – we’ll be providing more updates throughout the weekend.

http://www.ea.com/news/a-simcity-upd...mkrzk0sokrcyxk

It'll be a shit free game no doubt but at least they did something. Unlike D3 where it took them more than 2 months to get things sorted. They should have learned something from the D3 launch and made sure thye had enough servers on launch day.

[Pooky]

They will probably give us the first Mass Effect or something.

Although it might be a more family game, Sims 3 or something. Or maybe Sims 1 lol.

[James]

EA offers free game to angry SimCity players

EA and Maxis say sorry by offering a free game to disgruntled SimCity players

[Roomys]

Surely when you purchase there is an activation code or serial number thats logged. Wouldnt a decent company have something in place to flag the amount of purchases to warn them of impending down time? Seems like they milked it as much as they could.

"So what went wrong? The short answer is: a lot more people logged on than we expected. More people played and played in ways we never saw in the beta" lol i call BS.

[Graal]

You realise that with digital pre-orders people can be pre-ordering right up until the day before release, right? Their server infrastructure needs to be in place weeks before the launch. In the past before digital sales were as big as they are today a company could simply plan its server infrastructure according to the amount of physical copies they shipped out, but that's kinda impossible with digital preorders.

It helps if one uses a bit of logic.

[Roomys]

You realise that with digital pre-orders people can be pre-ordering right up until the day before release, right? Their server infrastructure needs to be in place weeks before the launch. In the past before digital sales were as big as they are today a company could simply plan its server infrastructure according to the amount of physical copies they shipped out, but that's kinda impossible with digital preorders.

It helps if one uses a bit of logic.

I was really enjoying your reply until the last comment, its not needed thanks bud.

I would expect that sort of bad planning from a smaller group but not EA, I am positive that even with digital pre-order there is a way of tracking numbers, do you not enter an email account when you pre-order or receive an sms or email notifying you that it has been received? I do when i pre-order with Btgames.

Any company that is serious about making money will know their target market and possible outcome of sales. This just boiled down to mis-management and greedy fingers. I was looking forward to it and was going to purchase it until reading up about how they where managing it.

[Graal]

BTGames. Yes. Physical copies. EA can track how many physical copies they physically ship, but it works a bit different for digital sales. EA has to send out cd-keys in batches large enough to not only cover any possible pre-orders, but large enough to cover lifetime sales at that digital outlet. They likely don't find out how many copies were sold until end of the month when that digital outlet tells them 'hey, here's how many we sold this month and here's your cut of the money.'

It's very easy for us to sit back, blinded by our hatred for EA, and make assumptions about why the whole fiasco happened. It gets a bit harder when you have to sit back and rationally consider what exactly goes into pre-ordering and preparing an online-only title for release.

Should they have planned more appropriately? Maybe. Do they deserve the flak they are receiving? I doubt that. They've already increased their server capacity by 120% and as of yesterday the issues are largely sorted. That's pretty commendable, considering the game hasn't even been out a week.

[Pooky]

I think that SimCity as a game is great. From what I have played there are a few bugs but nothing too serious. The server issues yes that wasn't too great but they are fixing that and it's certainly better than Diablo III's launch.

I think people are using SimCity as a kind of 'last straw' for EA, because let's face it, EA are a bit dickish. I HATE the idea of microtransactions and the crap that they pull with the Sims series, and I have a strong suspicion that SimCity is going to go the same way.

I actually don't have a problem with the 'always-online' component of the game, what I have a problem with is what they use it for in terms of microtransactions and DLCs that they use to just soak up people's money.

[czc]

I actually don't have a problem with the 'always-online' component of the game, what I have a problem with is what they use it for in terms of microtransactions and DLCs that they use to just soak up people's money.

Yeah, same issue. Not so much the only online thing. But the way it is designed for micro transactions. Also the map size forcing MP. Thi is the kind of game I like to play myself.

Also the digital sales is true and something that the companies that calculate PC sales don't take into account.