Michel Camdessus told a conversation with MrsThe future of Christian Streiff is in any case issueOur customers don't pay not only for a vehicleIt has also unscrewed against the yen losing 1It's the least of things judge Bernard Devy FOIt is for example whole challenge of post 2For the public group the challenge is hugeThe economic crisis but opens the door to new opportunitiesOn the contrary he did became only more humanThis is not a technical capitalism crisisWith his computer screen, the player has what to take to an almighty God. The character to life background in all respects to the mood of the moment. There he set a specific look among a range of combinations, dye differently bits and spikes his hair, select a specific build, endless decline her wardrobe. The character, he mixes five strokes to draw among a range of dozens of attitudes, ranging from the charism to the engineering, the love of nature to the aversion for the art of attitude player benevolence, of romanticism in the kleptomania.
The Sims 3 grow more than the previous versions the specificity of each character, while opening their world previously stationed in their vicinity. And to provide a launch height. The output has been carefully prepared, Electronic Arts including last year again ended in the Red with no interest in Miss the arrival of a new opus of his successful series. It is essentially to better orchestrate the appearance in radius that the global launch first announced for February 20 was delayed today, while marketing in France will start on June 4.
Invest all living spaces
Between the creation of the game of simulation in 2000 and now, the situation has changed. Indeed, the video entertainment has expanded its public borders only "gamers", bringing water to the mill of a universe all public than the Sims have largely helped create. But the deployment of the Web, the explosion of virtual worlds with the arrival of a Second Life where everything can happen and the development of community reflexes gave rise to new requirements.
Therefore, device marketing around the third generation of characters thus started very early, early 2008, and had for three months, manage additional waiting to aficionados, to great fanfare of information online. The France is last August that five fans different profiles have been selected to see the creative studio in the United States. A video program recounts their discovery on the Internet. Eleven episodes have been skillfully distilled between November and April on the official website of the game, but also on those of partners, such as Windows live messenger or aufeminin. "It had to maintain a strong interest over time." "And the balance is good, because we have reached a level of pre-booking of the historic game," said Charlotte Michel, marketing manager of EA Play France division.
On 13 may, another viral marketing campaign took over in the Hexagon, with events in the street provided all three days. Goal of the game: invest all living spaces to show that the Sims are more doomed to stay home but will Park, the Bistro or the beach. The characters are therefore invited to Cannes during the festival, invaded six cities way Sham to human size, hijacked the campaign for the European elections. Without signing their name. What is that from June 4 and for six weeks that will be the effect of revelation, with distribution of leaflets in the street, parades of Smart in the colours of the game, dressing of line 1 of the Paris Metro, with bus fleet. A television campaign is also on the menu. And, back in September, other celebrations should be organized.
A sign specialized as Micromania has already, for its part, mobilized its customer database to alert buyers of the previous versions but close mind games. It also plans to organize its own demonstrations. And will put forward the range of the Sims. "It is a game which sold throughout the year." "And one of the few to stay very grounded on the PC, allowing it to have a fairly broad and female audience," says Pierre Cuilleret, its leader.
With the new opus, Electronic Arts to increase the proportion of 25 to 49 years engaged in the simulation game. In France, they are now 32 of regulars. "Their proportion is already growing, spreading in the home video games." "It will develop, with the additional space left by the Sims 3 for the creation and customization," hope Charlotte Michel. The men, which are only a third of the fans, are also widely covered.
Conquer new players
But it is not, nor cut a public key. Young people and their desire to share are not forgotten. The capture of scenes extracted from the world imagined on screen is facilitated. These videos can be shown to others on TheSims3 destined to become a true community site where everyone can create his own page.
Will depend on a video game has become more difficult market, the success of the Sims 3 on both their ability to conquer new consumer and switch the fans to this new version, which is potentially less fast that for other series because most fans may have difficulty, emotionally, to leave the virtual world that they themselves are carefully built. Which explains also that 1 and 2 opus lived on the linear four years! The objective, in France, is to convert half of Sims 2 players in three years.
Another issue for the California firm: validate a new model based on the sale by downloading exclusive objects unit to increase the effect of personalization. To start the party, 12 euros of points will be included with the purchase of the box. A company to manage the new long-term relationship generated to the consumer by these micro-transactions.
