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Original Poster
#1 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 5:57 AM Last edited by Jathom95 : 19th Oct 2018 at 6:09 AM.
Default Something I've thought about...
So first a little background as to why I'm asking this. For those unaware, EA recently stopped giving away copies of TS2 UC to people asking for them through live chat. Why does that matter you ask? Well, it means officially that EA is no longer providing any way to play TS2 anymore, just like TS1 several years ago (which was never available digitally anyway.) You'd think this wouldn't even be an issue, most people would anyway. It's a 14 year old game, well past its prime. Who on earth could still be playing it anyway, right? Well, that would be just about one of the largest dedicated fanbases for a game that still continues to grow to this day thanks to a still massive modding community and constant exposure to newcomers. It's clear that it's still played and adored to this day even well past the release of its two immediate successors. Like a great movie that stands the test of time and is talked about for decades after. So now that EA is no longer providing any way of officially distributing the game anymore, that means that anyone that doesn't own it already has to purchase a second hand copy of the game and hope for the best.

Now on to my point. It's clear that EA has wiped their hands clean of TS2 for good. Reading the statement that they released about ending UC distribution support makes this clear. And I'm willing to bet that it will stay that way too. If it hasn't been up for sale yet, it isn't going to be. It begs the question that if they're doing this with TS2, who's to say they won't do so later with the later releases as well.

Some might would say that TS1 and 2 are different, being so old at this point with different issues for each. But the same thing could be said about 3 (my favorite) and 4. 3 had problems from day one, but look how far it's come since it was released back in 2009. My love for this game was why I bought physical copies of my favorite Sims game for every release, something tangible that I could install and play whenever I like. With 4 and likely all future Sims games being Origin exclusive, I'm beginning to think that TS3 will be the last Sims game that players have any control over. Who's to say that at any point in the future EA stops providing support for TS3 altogether and remove it from the store? While that wouldn't be an issue if you've already bought the game, you never know what could happen. Worst case scenario being something like an account ban for whatever reason. There goes your game and any others you have.

I know the saying "all good things must come to an end" but I admit this is slightly unnerving to think about. What do you guys think?

You have been chosen. They will come soon.
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 7:26 AM
I think it is expected that as games age companies will move on. Sims 2 disks are probably available on ebay and elsewhere for a song now. I also buy disks whenever I can so have all that have been done from 1 on. I have no problem with EA doing this.

I probably should sell all of my 1 and 2 ones as will never use again, but somehow I like having them still. I am a Sims hoarder. LOL
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Original Poster
#3 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 7:36 AM
Quote: Originally posted by daisylee
I think it is expected that as games age companies will move on. Sims 2 disks are probably available on ebay and elsewhere for a song now.


See, normally I'd agree with you 100%. Game companies can and do indeed move on, it's just how things go. But I've never understood why at the very least EA doesn't make 1 and 2 available digitally. There's nothing terribly wrong with either, technically speaking, just a few issues that crop up on modern hardware that can be fixed easily. They sell games on Origin that are even older than TS1, such as the Ultima games.

You have been chosen. They will come soon.
Mad Poster
#4 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 7:37 AM
This does not bother me at all. And, hey shouldn't this be in the Sims 2 section?
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Original Poster
#5 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 7:39 AM
Well, it's really a topic that encompasses The Sims as a whole, as per the point I was wanting to get across about the future of these games. It doesn't really "bother" me that much either. More like a hypothetical "what if". At least at the end of the day I'll still have my games. LOL.

You have been chosen. They will come soon.
Test Subject
#6 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 9:37 AM
This topic is very relevant for TS3, because there will come a point when the online content is no longer available and there will be no way to legally download any of the store items. The word "legally" is the reason I am not too worried about this, since the Sims games are popular enough that there should always be a way to acquire them and at least part of their online content without a license from EA. Which is something connoisseurs of very old games had to come to terms with quite a while ago because there often is no licensed online distribution and physical copies, or the hardware to use them on, are falling apart and/or selling for absurd "collectors" prices.
Mad Poster
#7 Old 19th Oct 2018 at 12:30 PM Last edited by GrijzePilion : 19th Oct 2018 at 1:48 PM.
It's true, my collection of MSX games from the 1980s is largely bootleg because it's the only way you can realistically expect to get many of the games. If they're available at all, they're prohibitively expensive to the point of being collector's items - original copies of Hideo Kojima's classic Snatcher has been known to sell for upwards of $1000. You can't reasonably expect to pick most games up for less than the price of a brand new AAA title, nowadays.

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( Join my dumb Discord server if you're into the whole procrastination thing. But like, maybe tomorrow. )
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