The Sims Social: The Virtual Goods & Demographics That Make The Facebook Game So Big

I have a new report about the virtual goods and revenue of The Sims Social now up on Inside Social Games, and judging by Facebook friends' activity, it may interest the many SLers who are also playing that social game. For instance, I got some interesting data from the developer, EA Playfish, on the virtual goods that sell extremely well:

Durable virtual goods that enable new gameplay experiences — [T]his category of virtual good allows the player to engage in different gameplay activities when purchased. For example, a single-bed allows the player’s Sim to perform sleeping or napping actions while a more expensive double-bed item allows the Sim to engage in sleeping, napping, and sexual intercourse actions (referred to in-game as “WooHoo”). Other items — like a stereo or a gazebo — allow Sims to dance. These item-based interactions also feature a viral component where a player can share the activity on other players’ Facebook Walls, thereby attracting more users to purchase the item.

Read it all here.

Comments

[Ezra]

I think we've already nailed sex beds and dancing.

[Ezra]

Also...wow, that's a ton of money EA has made off of Sims Social.

Those daily and monthly active user charts are troubling though. Social games on Facebook seem to be boom and bust. I'd like to see a social game that has a World of Warcraft kind of spectacular launch and continued growth over the years.

It'll be interesting to see how EA's plans for expansions and etc. effect those numbers. But it'll be a shame if Sim Social's best month is doomed to be its first month.

[Hamlet Au]

Most of the big social games *seem* to have their best month in the first month, because they're promoted like crazy. But the real test is if they keep growing or chugging along after the 2nd or 3rd month.