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'Sims 3' piracy rates higher than 'Spore'

30 May 2009 18:56 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 23 comments

Two weeks ago we reported that the game The Sims 3 by EA had been leaked two weeks early to P2P, and according to new data figures compiled by research firm BigChampagne, the pirated version had been downloaded over 180,000 times in just four days.

2008's most pirated game, EA's blockbuster Spore, saw 400,000 downloads in its first 10 days, so Sims 3 is on pace to beat that.

EA is saying however that the pirated version is not the final release.

"The pirated version is a buggy, pre-final build of the game," EA's Holly Rockwood said. "It�s not the full game. Half the world - an entire city - is missing from the pirated copy."

The game is set for legitimate release on Tuesday.

Permalink to this article

Despite piracy, 'Sims 3' sells extremely well (11 June 2009)

'Sims 3' leaked two weeks early to P2P (19 May 2009)

EA to drop DRM from The Sims 3 (27 March 2009)

2008: Most pirated PC games (7 December 2008)

The Sims game series sold 100 million copies (17 April 2008)

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Discuss this article!
Amak (Junior Member) 30 May 2009 20:16
And it will still sell many copies, even with this recession. [ + quote]
Hopium (Newbie) 30 May 2009 20:31
BigChampagne doesnt even have a company info page all information about this site must be obtain by email, why? because its prolly owned by the mpaa and they are prolly pulling numbers out of their ass [ + quote]
b18bek9 (Member) 30 May 2009 20:48
i'm sure it was downloaded by many but i bet it sells way more then spores also. No matter what piracy will never stop but die hard gamers and certain genre fan will always shell out money for a good game. I'm one who will play a game 2 weeks before it comes out as well but will also purchase it when it comes out if its a good game saves me having to return the game later if it sucks or at least trade in. [ + quote]
nervuli (Junior Member) 31 May 2009 2:37
Yes EA is right about one particular version floating around the net. The other one though is the real deal, full final version. [ + quote]
Lothros (Junior Member) 31 May 2009 3:30
Well, I think this will be more pirated than Spore for the simple reason that they Lied. They claimed they were not gonna use DRM, when they have CD Keys, SecuROM AND online Activation. [ + quote]
Amak (Junior Member) 31 May 2009 4:55
*Originally posted by Lothros:* Well, I think this will be more pirated than Spore for the simple reason that they Lied. They claimed they were not gonna use DRM, when they have CD Keys, SecuROM AND online Activation. A CD key is understandable...but the SecuROM and activation need to go...these companies, ESPECIALLY EA, love feeding the pirates don't they? :D [ + quote]
PeaInAPod (AfterDawn Addict) 31 May 2009 13:14
Sims 3? What difference is there between this and Sims 2? Do the people live differently? Do they finally move out of Sunny Valley or whatever fake place they live in? I honestly don't see how people can buy the Sims 2 for $50 all the expansion packs and then be excited to get the Sims 3. It's the same game! [ + quote]
Lothros (Junior Member) 31 May 2009 14:10
*Originally posted by PeaInAPod:* Sims 3? What difference is there between this and Sims 2? Do the people live differently? Do they finally move out of Sunny Valley or whatever fake place they live in? I honestly don't see how people can buy the Sims 2 for $50 all the expansion packs and then be excited to get the Sims 3. It's the same game! Play it for yourself and find out. It's the same gameplay, but in no way the same game. By your logic, why bother Playing GTA 4 when you have GTA 3! [ + quote]
dragnandy (Senior Member) 31 May 2009 14:11
better graphics? i havent looked into it but im sure there are new features, and plus there are fans out there who simply get it because its the next installment in the Sims series. [ + quote]
PeaInAPod (AfterDawn Addict) 31 May 2009 14:33
*Quote:* *Originally posted by PeaInAPod:* Sims 3? What difference is there between this and Sims 2? Do the people live differently? Do they finally move out of Sunny Valley or whatever fake place they live in? I honestly don't see how people can buy the Sims 2 for $50 all the expansion packs and then be excited to get the Sims 3. It's the same game! Play it for yourself and find out. It's the same gameplay, but in no way the same game. By your logic, why bother Playing GTA 4 when you have GTA 3! I haven't played GTA 3 or 4. But I know there are gameplay differences. Tell me what changes from Sim game to Sim game? [ + quote]
Lothros (Junior Member) 31 May 2009 14:47
*Quote:* *Quote:* *Originally posted by PeaInAPod:* Sims 3? What difference is there between this and Sims 2? Do the people live differently? Do they finally move out of Sunny Valley or whatever fake place they live in? I honestly don't see how people can buy the Sims 2 for $50 all the expansion packs and then be excited to get the Sims 3. It's the same game! Play it for yourself and find out. It's the same gameplay, but in no way the same game. By your logic, why bother Playing GTA 4 when you have GTA 3! I haven't played GTA 3 or 4. But I know there are gameplay differences. Tell me what changes from Sim game to Sim game? Quite a lot. The Major One in sims 3 is the fact the world is no longer broken up into lots, but is one full flowing Game World. [ + quote]
B33rdrnkr (Newbie) 31 May 2009 15:54
Maybe they should sink some money into some anti piracy techniques so that they cannot be pirated.... [ + quote]
Gradical (Junior Member) 31 May 2009 22:00
How is it exactly 180,000 in four days higher than 500,000 in 10 days?? 180,000 / 4 = 45,000 45,000 x 10 = 450,000 do you even do the math befor repeating what an mpaa site says, if not, at least you should title the news piracy rates higher than spore according to BigChampagne firm, dont you think? [ + quote]
Pop_Smith (Senior Member) 1 June 2009 0:28
*Originally posted by B33rdrnkr:* Maybe they should sink some money into some anti piracy techniques so that they cannot be pirated.... They have put money into "Anti-piracy" tech, except that it bit them in the behind. Spore was loaded to the maximum with it (On-disc copy protection, CD-Key, and Online activations limited to 5 times.) and yet it was pirated to death anyway. I will probably put up the cash for this game and get it because I enjoyed the Sims 2. I won't be buying all the crazy expansion packs, however. [ + quote]
bryguy12 (Junior Member) 1 June 2009 0:33
*Quote:* How is it exactly 180,000 in four days higher than 500,000 in 10 days?? Because it's exponential, not linear? Now, I'll agree that this 'counting the chickens before they hatch' math statement they're making may not prove to be true -- but I doubt it will be proven wrong at the end of the 10 days, no matter who provided the numbers. Just like normal P2P, there's only so many seeds with only so much bandwidth.... by the second day there's 2000 seeds (perhaps)... by the third day those 2000 have quadrupled into 8000... fourth into 50000, etc. It all depends on interested downloaders, how many seeders and bandwidth, etc. Again, these reported numbers could be coming straight out of their asses... just to drive the interest in the 'upcoming' release, just to sell a report back to EA, just to get your name written into news reports... who knows, who cares. If it's actually an important number to you then just wait the 10 days and celebrate it afterwards. [ + quote]
DVDBack23 (Staff Member) 1 June 2009 2:55
*Originally posted by Gradical:* How is it exactly 180,000 in four days higher than 500,000 in 10 days?? 180,000 / 4 = 45,000 45,000 x 10 = 450,000 do you even do the math befor repeating what an mpaa site says, if not, at least you should title the news piracy rates higher than spore according to BigChampagne firm, dont you think? Ah, very good...I misquoted the source, should have read 400,000, not 500,000, its been edited...although I find it very plausible for Sims 3 to break 500,000 by the 10-day period. We shall see then. [ + quote]
emugamer (Member) 1 June 2009 12:32
Above and beyond my understanding. I remember having to put my guy in a taxi for work, then wait for him to get back with some $$$. Then make sure that diapers were changed, and the garbage was taken out. I had flies all over my Sim house because I was too busy trying to keep up with my own house chores. And there was a virtual wife nagging me. Who wants to subject themselves to another family after the real one goes to sleep? I'll stick to adventure games. [ + quote]
nintenut (Senior Member) 1 June 2009 14:25
*Originally posted by Hopium:* BigChampagne doesnt even have a company info page all information about this site must be obtain by email, why? because its prolly owned by the mpaa and they are prolly pulling numbers out of their ass Because the Motion Picture Association of America deals with software? [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1 June 2009 14:26
ThePastor (Junior Member) 1 June 2009 15:06
*Originally posted by emugamer:* Above and beyond my understanding. I remember having to put my guy in a taxi for work, then wait for him to get back with some $$$. Then make sure that diapers were changed, and the garbage was taken out. I had flies all over my Sim house because I was too busy trying to keep up with my own house chores. And there was a virtual wife nagging me. Who wants to subject themselves to another family after the real one goes to sleep? I'll stick to adventure games. Ahhh, you're playing the game all wrong... Create a "family" with three girls and a guy. Give the guy the lifetime wish of "have 10 different girlfriends"... make the three girls work hard and keep the guy unemployed. Hire a maid (easy girlfriends) Don't "make a baby" with any of the three girls who are working for you... Sit back and enjoy the cashola! [ + quote]
Lothros (Junior Member) 1 June 2009 15:14
*Quote:* *Originally posted by emugamer:* Above and beyond my understanding. I remember having to put my guy in a taxi for work, then wait for him to get back with some $$$. Then make sure that diapers were changed, and the garbage was taken out. I had flies all over my Sim house because I was too busy trying to keep up with my own house chores. And there was a virtual wife nagging me. Who wants to subject themselves to another family after the real one goes to sleep? I'll stick to adventure games. Ahhh, you're playing the game all wrong... Create a "family" with three girls and a guy. Give the guy the lifetime wish of "have 10 different girlfriends"... make the three girls work hard and keep the guy unemployed. Hire a maid (easy girlfriends) Don't "make a baby" with any of the three girls who are working for you... Sit back and enjoy the cashola! The Sims 3: Mormon Edition? [ + quote]
Pop_Smith (Senior Member) 1 June 2009 15:37
*Originally posted by Lothros:* *Originally posted by ThePastor:* Ahhh, you're playing the game all wrong... Create a "family" with three girls and a guy. Give the guy the lifetime wish of "have 10 different girlfriends"... make the three girls work hard and keep the guy unemployed. Hire a maid (easy girlfriends) Don't "make a baby" with any of the three girls who are working for you... Sit back and enjoy the cashola! The Sims 3: Mormon Edition? Na, that sounds more like The Sims 3: Pimp Edition. Peace [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1 June 2009 15:43
ThePastor (Junior Member) 1 June 2009 16:38
Guilty conscience [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1 June 2009 18:47
nintenut (Senior Member) 1 June 2009 18:22
*Quote:* *Originally posted by Lothros:* *Originally posted by ThePastor:* Ahhh, you're playing the game all wrong... Create a "family" with three girls and a guy. Give the guy the lifetime wish of "have 10 different girlfriends"... make the three girls work hard and keep the guy unemployed. Hire a maid (easy girlfriends) Don't "make a baby" with any of the three girls who are working for you... Sit back and enjoy the cashola! The Sims 3: Mormon Edition? Na, that sounds more like The Sims 3: Pimp Edition. Peace Or how I imagine most anime fans play the game. [ + quote]