Virtual Goods News

This week Electronic Arts announced the first expansion for its recently-launched The Sims 3, World Adventure, to ship for PC and Mac on November 16, 2009. The new expansion offers The Sims 3 players new China, Egypt, and France locations as well as new items and skills. A version of the expansion for The Sims 3 on iPhone will ship in early 2010, featuring a new "customized mobile gameplay" feature EA will reveal more about in upcoming months. All buyers of the expansion will receive 1000 complimentary SimPoints, which users can spend on in-game virtual goods in The Sims 3 Store.

The Sims 3 has sold 3.7 million copies to date, making it a bright spot in an otherwise rocky first quarter for Electronic Arts, with the company reporting a $6 million loss. Right now $124 million of EA's $816 million in quarterly revenue is coming from digital distribution and virtual goods, up from 38% year-over-year. The company's future plans for an online Tiger Woods golf game driven by subscription and virtual goods revenue indicate that EA hopes to keep growing its virtual goods revenue.

The Sims 3 is another prime candidate for providing a long-term virtual goods stream, so it's no surprise the company is using Sim Points giveaways to keep players hooked. Sims creator Will Wright spoke recently at the SIGGRAPH conference about a coming shift in the fundamentals of American entertainment, with tastemaking and revenue-generating power shifting into the hands of dedicated fans willing to make long-term investments in a property. While Will Wright has departed EA to start a company of his own called the Stupid Fun Club, it's obvious his thought has influenced EA when it comes to inviting users to invest in favorite games through microtransactions.