Hasta La Gadget!

This week was supposed to be a big one for PC gamers as EA’s long-awaited SimCity released, with many members of the media praising the game as it currently stands at an 82 out of 100 on Metacritic. That praise turned into many PC gamers going out and buying the game, which seems like something EA wasn’t exactly expecting as since it’s release, the game has been met with nothing but negativity to both gamers and the media.

The issue EA is having with SimCity is due to the game’s always-on DRM that requires players to always be connected to the Internet when they have the itch to manage their virtual city. It seems way more copies were sold than EA originally anticipated, which is resulting in the company’s servers not working as they would hope they would. (more…)

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If you’re a fan of EA’s game The Sims 3, a new expansion pack for the game has launched this week. The expansion pack is called The Sims 3 University Life and is available to download for Windows and Mac gamers now. If you buy the Origin download version of the upgrade pack you’ll get some exclusive items, but it is available as a physical retail game as well.

The expansion pack allows players to go to college and build new skills, engage in activities, and experiment with objects specific to their major in college. The expansion pack brings new venues, a campus quad, a lecture hall, and new housing options including dorms, fraternities, sororities, and apartments. Players will be able to join one of three social groups at college including jocks, rebels, and nerds.

EA says that building influence with the social groups can lead to advantages in the game such as earning dream jobs. The update brings a new smartphone to game characters allowing users to guide and track their influence among the social groups. Users can use that virtual smartphone to blog, take photos, text, and video stream.

Going to virtual college also allows players of The Sims to get ahead after graduation. Players who complete one of the six majors at the University will gain an additional trait slot, advanced entry to their chosen careers, and will perform better at work. The expansion pack also allows players to attend protests, parties, play juice pong, toss a Frisbee, and more. Buying the download version also gets players the School Spirit Pack that includes a Campus Cruiser vehicle, special hairstyle, and two new face paints. The expansion pack is available right now for $39.99.

[via The Sims]

The Sims 3 University Life expansion pack now available is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Activision has announced that they will be moving away from the licensed games, meaning there will be fewer games from the James Bond, Transformers, Men in Black, and Spider-Man series. Rumor has it that James Bond will be seeing its end really soon. Activision is following the same move that Electronics Arts made back in 2008. EA Games president, Frank Gibeau, said at the time that “the days of licensed-based, 75-rated games copies are dead like the dinosaur.”

Along with its move to back away from licensed games, Activision will also be laying off 30 people from its company. That’s about 0.5% of the company, and those that are being let go will be offered “outplacement counseling services” to help them find a new job. Activision made it clear though that the cuts will barely affect Treyarch. The company says that there will be “minimal reduction in staff to better align our development talent against the needs of DLC development.”

Like EA Games, Activision feels that the licensed-games industry isn’t bringing in enough revenue to make the projects worth it. Due to the high-costs of making the movie-based games, and the decreasing demand for them, the games started becoming more trouble than they were worth. Activision will still be releasing a few licensed-based games this year, including games based on The Walking Dead, Deadpool, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I can see why companies are beginning to stray way from licensed games. The licensed games as of late aren’t as amazing as games from the older generation (does anyone remember Goldeneye 007?). Even 007 Legends, which was highly anticipated, turned out to be a let down, which is why the James Bond series might be the first of the licensed games to get the axe.

[via Wired]

Activision is pulling away from licensed games is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

EA and Maxis are gearing up for another closed beta for their upcoming SimCity reboot. The companies hosted the first closed beta late last month, and now they’re going for a second round. The beta will begin at 9 am ET on Saturday, February 16 and will run until 9 am ET on Sunday, February 17. Sign-ups for this second beta close on February 11, so be sure to get your name in ASAP.

This second beta will feature an “enhanced version” of the one-hour slice of gameplay that was previously featured in the first beta, although we’re not sure what “enhanced” features we’ll be seeing this time around. However, you can bet that gamers will be seeing a bit more this time around, as opposed to what they saw last month.

Furthermore, Maxis also unveiled a new trailer showing off the Limited Edition version of SimCity, and if you pre-order it, you’ll get the Heroes and Villains expansion pack for free. The expansion pack, which is only compatible with the Limited Edition version of the game, allows you to add organized crime and superheroes to your city, so who knows, maybe you’ll create the next Gotham City?

SimCity will officially be released for Windows in North America on March 5 and in Europe on March 7. A Mac version will also be coming to stores as well, but it won’t hit shelves until the spring. Cross-platform play will be supported with the game, so you’ll be able to play against your friends using different platforms.

SimCity hosting another closed beta on February 16 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The time has come, folks. The latest installment in the Dead Space series has arrived. Dead Space 3 is now available for purchase at retail stores in North America, as well as on EA’s Origin gaming service. Plus, Electronic Arts announced that DLC is coming for the game next month for $10 to prove that there’s even more to come after the initial release.

The new game sports a ton of new features, including an innovative drop-in/drop-out feature, as well as an all-new weapon crafting system. The game takes players on a “thrilling ride through the terrors that lie hidden in deep space and the unforgiving ice planet of Tau Volantis.” It sounds like fun, but we hope you’re ready for the challenge that lies ahead.

The DLC pack, called Awakened, will be available in March. There’s no specific date set yet, but you’ll be able to pick it up for $10 through various channels. In the DLC, players will experience the series’ “darkest chapters as the Necromorph battles become even more gruesome and terrifying than ever before.”

The action-horror sequel looks like it’s quite the thrill from what we’re seeing. Vice president and general manager of Visceral Games Steve Papoutsis says that “gamers will experience some of the most disturbing content they have ever seen in a Dead Space game — they are going to love it.” We’d say that’s a pretty good assumption, Steve.

Dead Space 3 now available, DLC coming in March is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.