Is the Halloween update destined to be a huge disappointment?

Josh -- I miss your animated avatar.

gregbuc350 wrote:
Josh -- I miss your animated avatar.

He never had an animated one, that was HomerSwapMeet

JoshSherer wrote:
Donna and Land get it.

They got it, and what about me... Did I somehow miss it...?


Anyway, the debate about if limited items should reappear or not, is perhaps the most polarised continuing debate on this forum. There has been alot of threads about this in the past, and I suppose there will be more in the future.

Here are some links to other threads that is about the same topic:

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9540116.page

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9697521.page

In this second thread my first post (the 7th and perhaps too long for a forum) sums up most of the arguments from the first thread I linked to. And my point of view, which coincide with JoshSheerer, Donna4612, Land0fComedy, DIrishB, Excruciator69 and surely many others, got alot of heat. There is also many people on these forums digging firepits for the other side (though why that happens I'm never going to understand).


However Donna is completely correct. If limited items reappear to be available for new players, that means some of the storylines in theory good get continued, even for characters you have had for some time. Would someone really hate that?

I have to adress this to all older players that doesn't think the old limited items should reappear: HOW does it affect YOUR game, if newer players can get some of the old items? There's never anyone answering this with a valid answer...

I'm with Josh and Donna here, the characters are the most important in this game, and you should get the chance to get them all. That means Shauna, Kang, Tom O'Flannagan and even Rex Banner and Abraham Lincoln should all reappear sometime in the future.

I will just die if I don't get witch marge. Started in December.

I don't buy into this idea that people deserve exclusive items, just because they found out about the game earlier then most, but they are entitled to their opinion. If thats the way some people feel, then I don't see a reason to be upset with them. Its not like they have any control over what EA puts out.

I think its pretty clear that no matter what EA releases, some people are going to be upset. But we might as well save the bickering for when we know for sure, because there is no point in bickering over pure speculation. It's only a few days away, so it's not like we are going to change the developers mind at this point.

Many players who missed or were'nt playing back then visited TSTO unground to get everything ... So I say EA should bring back everything in way that makes sense for those who don't want go that route.

wagondriver4 wrote:
Fluid, we were typing at the same time. Please look at my post.

I have... There is quite a lot I could make a point of from your post. First and foremost, you atleast agree that "limited time" doesn't mean "one-time-only", as many here have a hard time with understanding. I give you thumbs up for that.

But I don't agree with most of your other points. I'll try to indirectly make my points by giving you some questions. Why don't you think that former non-character limited items can't reappear? Doesn't it make sense that "limited time" decorations from last years Halloween, or even Christmas, could reappear this year?


Furthermore, your point about repeats making less money... I actually believe this may be wrong. Atleast for the Halloween and Christmas items from last year. What you have to know and understand, is that there are A LOT more players now, than when this game was new, and surely quite a lot of those first players don't play anymore. Add to the fact that Android players were denied playing the game at this time last year, and you must see that the playerbase this time around most surely is a whole lot bigger.

If you suppose that the players are evenly distributed between iOS and Android players, and that perhaps only 20%-30% buy any premium stuff, even adding to the fact that many players has quit playing since then, I guess less than a tenth of the people currently playing this game worldwide has last years limited Halloween and Christmas items.

Since the playerbase has increased immensely since then, EA's moneymaking potential for old items are HUGE. I actually believe EA will make more money this year, on last years limited items, IF they make them reappear. This is something EA should take advantage of while their game is as hot as it currently is. And EA is in it to make money, so I can't from a marketing point understand why they wouldn't do this.

Even if you believe my calculations is way off, you have to understand that making repeats reappear doesn't cost EA too much. The coding is all there, it's just about making it available again. After they pay the programmer that uses perhaps one hour to make the coding appear again, everything will be a net gain. Unlike last year, where they had to pay the programmers for making the codes in the first place, and other miscellaneous costs associated with the Simpsons license like paying the voice actors, paying the quest dialogue writers and the like.

Based on all this, and as stated above, I believe EA will make more money this year, even on last years limited items, should they reappear.


Though I do agree with you that some things doesn't make too much sense re-releasing, like the Mayan God and the like. (Still might be EA could earn some on them too, so if they really want to make as much money as they can, they could actually make those things available too).

Bravewall wrote:
I don't buy into this idea that people deserve exclusive items, just because they found out about the game earlier then most, but they are entitled to their opinion. If thats the way some people feel, then I don't see a reason to be upset with them. Its not like they have any control over what EA puts out.

I think its pretty clear that no matter what EA releases, some people are going to be upset. But we might as well save the bickering for when we know for sure, because there is no point in bickering over pure speculation. It's only a few days away, so it's not like we are going to change the developers mind at this point.

I agree with your first sentence in each paragraph. But I am not sure you are correct in the rest of your assumptions. As far as I see it, there is only two things that could make EA NOT releasing previous limited items again:

1. They don't bother re-releasing previous items, for whatever reason. Perhaps they think it's boring doing the programming for for making them reappear, maybe they deleted the coding, perhaps their dog ate the programming, I don't know. But from a money-making stand point, this wouldn't be espescially smart (see my previous post in this thread), and I don't think this would be valid point.

2. They want to heed what they believe to be the majority of their playerbase, or atleast what they believe to be their most important players. And guess what the most important players is the ones that give them feedback continuously through mails, forums, fansites and whatnot, in other words: US.

Our opinions count. EA has recently just showed that they keep atleast a halfopen, sleepy eye on this forum. If people really want previous limited items to reappear, I believe EA will make that happen. If we don't want to, or don't care, EA won't make that happen. So, Bravewall, this IS actually a fight worth taking if you want previous limited items back. EA has a golden chance to make that happen now, and I hope they take it.

I do believe you are right that most of the coding is already done, but I think that making old items available would be easy to add or delete from an update, if they want to. Therefore this "fight" is needed :wink:

What EA have to understand, and I believe they do, is that this forum is very skewed. The majority in these forums are long time players on iOS, they either don't want or care that previous limited items get re-released. But they are in no way representative for the huge playerbase out in the world, from where only a few ever finds their way to these forums.

So EA, please do add some of last years limited Halloween items this year too, if not for any other reason, to check if re-releasing some items might give you more income! :wink:

wagondriver4 wrote:
The Mayan calander predicted the end of the world would be 2012. That is why the Simpsons had an episode relating to it. Why would there ever be a point to rereleasing that? I'll keep playing if the the Mayan god is rereleased, but regardless of the fact that I don't have him, I will be sorely disappointed.

You wanted me to respond to your long post, and all you draw from my response is this? A point I don't even disagree with you upon. It's true, the Mayan god, and the calender and such wouldn't make too much sense to re-release, and I don't think EA will do that, but why would you be personally disappointed? Makes no sense to me.

But after reading my response, mostly to you, do you still hold the belief that reappearing items would generate less money?

@wagondriver4: I appreaciate that you took your time to respond :)

@wagondriver4 and pmap89: If EA chooses to re-release older limited items, that will of course be in addition to new content. There is no advocates for old items being brought back, that wants those items instead of new content. It's in addition TO. I can't see any objections as of why that can't happen.

Anyway, it will be highly interesting to see how EA solve this in respects to both old and new players. I have to admit I will be a little disappointed if they don't re-release atleast a few of last years items...