Tonight EA opened a new section of the official forum for the Katy Perry Sweet Treats Stuff Pack. A simmer by the name of TheSimling started a debate about the endorsement deal with a sensible well thought out post.
The following is my take on the situation which I posted as a reply in the aforementioned thread.
“Thank you TheSimling for your well thought out post that shows understanding of the business world.
Yes EA is out to make a profit, nothing unusual there. However they have signed a deal with Katy Perry to endorse several sims 3 projects. That is unusual. The sims franchise has never done that before.
I am one of those long time simmers who has bought every EP and SP from the original Sims, Sims 2 and Sims 3 up until Master Suite Stuff.
I took a decision not to buy Showtime as I felt the price was too high for what was included. And when I do get it, when the price drops, I will not be buying the Katy Perry edition.
I really do not care for celebrity endorsement of the sims franchise and I don’t understand why EA feels it is necessary. The Sims has been the number 1 best-selling PC game in its own right for many years now. The only explanation for this kind of cross purpose marketing is falling sales.
Katy Perry isn’t doing this out of love for the game and EA isn’t doing out of love for her. They are both doing it to boost their own profiles and inject more cash into their wallets. It is cold hard business with a powerful and convincing marketing machine behind it.
I don’t hate Katy Perry, I just don’t care much about her or her music, it’s not my thing but I accept that other people are into her. I would feel the same about any celebrity who signed a deal like this. The extra pricing for versions carrying a celebrity name just rubs salt in this wound.
As for this Sweet Treats SP. I’m sad to say that the content doesn’t appeal to me as I prefer fairly realistic worlds. But again I accept that others will like it. It is a matter of personal taste.
The Sims game itself should be good enough to appeal to gamers. If it isn’t any more then EA need to start listening more to the community to understand what those who spend their cash on the game really want”
That’s my take what do the rest of you think?
~Kat
KrazyAngelKat81sObsessions 
I didn’t have the patience to actually read all that, but I’m standing firm on my belief that if EA actually made a worthy product their sales may be up and they wouldn’t have to resort to lame celebrity endorsements to try and boost them.
It’s common sense. If you make a good product and have some integrity in that product, (which would make you want to make a good product) your sales would be fine. The Sims is one of the top selling games of all time and they’re destroying faster than I can type this and you can read it.
You certainly did type that fast E! 😉
I see you agree that they need to concentrate on quality rather than celebrity.
Unless we are both wrong and celebrity culture has more power than we give it credit for I can’t see this helping sales.
It’s times like this I wish I was a better writer; knew more words, could better explain in those words what I’m thinking about Ms. Perry. EA (well, you already know what I think of them) will never, as long as the ones in the corner office remain, focus on quality. To them, quality takes too long. They want their money and they want it now.
It, sadly, seems to be the mentality here in the U.S.; impetuous, instant gratification. It’s in our beef/food, our games, our clothing, our kids….. I’m going to stand down from this soap box now. I’m just very disappointed where the general direction of the human culture is going. Though, I’m sure there are a few bright spots, we always tend to see the bad. Why is that? =)
latent consumerism you mean Eric? It can indeed be evil x
I think the Sims franchise would be much better if Maxis still owned it.
I agreed with you Lee… 😉
1000 to infinity percent agreed with that Lee. At least they actually cared about the game and the community.
Kat, I read your post with great interest and I must write to you. You’re right on many points. Yes isn’t my music too, we both aren’t alone with our thoughts. http://blog.alien-bommel.com/?p=1937
In the past EA have already celebrities for The Sims 3, which were also really interested at the game. I remember back on german singer, with whom I had an interview a few years ago. They played the Sims on DS, they sing for the Sims 3 a song in simlish. (Stefanie Heinzmann )
I was finally happy; I’d meet an artist, how really loved the Sims game and knew details about the game.
I personally wouldn’t buy this addon too, because I really see no point in it and it irritates me not. On the contrary, I find this “Katy Perry” stuff boring.. All this stuff is kind of childish – these aren’t the Sims we know.
It is a fact. Through all these celebrities, gradually, a game is ruined. I see many add-ons don’t appealing in some more, because it is only marketing comes first.
I miss important things; rather than to improve error and to make new ideas to make the game more attractive. Come lots of things to purchase the player..
For my money, I wish more quality and not quantity. When I consider, many players and myself has problems with launcher and patch installs on big systems. Especially for large systems as win7 / 64 bit an ultimate systems or Mac machines. Then it is better to focus his eyes on these things first before you continue to be produced.
Player wants to buy a game, install and play without problems.
Agreed Liz, if they put even half of the time that they do into marketing this stuff into fixing what is broken instead I’d have much more respect for them.
Well said Kat!
I quite like her as a singer, for a bit of pop once in a while. I even bought the special edition Katy Perry showtime as I was being flamboyant with my cash when I ordered it and quite liked the special hair it came with. I was however very perplexed that having done so, it came without any Katy Perry in simlish song at all. I do actually enjoy the pack but this new one they are coming out with is the pits in my opinion, I was lucky as got mine on offer, but still paid £27 for it. The fact that they are trying to get another similar amount out of us for a mere stuff pack and something that should have been contained in the Showtime EP as standard is plain disgusting money grubbing from EA! I am so not bothered either about having little candy floss trees, pretty lame IMO.
Thanks Lisa – I’m glad that you agree, didn’t think many people at NS did to be honest which has made me feel unable to express myself there.
It IS blatant money grabbing from both EA and said celebrity.
I have tried not to be negative, but EA really are not giving us what we’d all really like. One katy perry pack I can deal with, but 2, it’s just too much! In sims 2, they didn’t charge extra for the Ikea or H&M stuff packs and at least they had a great many useable and nice items. They seem to be wanting much more money for much less recently. Very sad, as I love this game, would just love some actual addition to gameplay, such as weather and some decent wardrobes!
I agree, it IS sad and it IS putting me off playing as much as I used to.
Their awful record of customer service and now this clear money grabbing is sulling what used to be a fun community game.
I keep checking the price of Showtime in the UK waiting for it to drop but it hasn’t happened yet. And for the first time ever I won’t be buying this new SP at all. It is cheap and tacky and the clothes are slutty. lol.
I thought the clothes looked worse than the stuff I used to make back in Sims 2 when I first started making them…lol
LOL…that says something…slutty is simple 😉