GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

EA details free Origin games as apology for SimCity launch disaster

List of games being given away by EA includes Battlefield 3 and Dead Space 3.

By Martin Gaston on March 18, 2013 at 10:07AM PDT

EA has detailed the list of Origin games it will offer to customers affected by the disastrous launch of SimCity.

No Caption Provided

All copies of SimCity registered on Origin before March 25 will give applicable customers a chance to pick one free game from the following list: Battlefield 3, Bejeweled 3, Dead Space 3, Mass Effect 3, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Plants vs. Zombies, and SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition.

The games provided, with the exception of Sim City 4, are all standard edition.

EA will roll out the redemption process across its three territories in waves, starting in North America by 5pm PDT on Wednesday March 20, before reaching Europe by March 21, and then Asia and South America before the end of March 22.

Games have to be claimed by 11:59 PDT on March 30.

"Our SimCity Mayors are incredibly important to the team at Maxis," said a statement on the EA website. "We sincerely apologise for the difficulties at launch and hope to make it up to you with a free PC game download from Origin."

"Starting today," continued the apology, "every player that has activated their copy of SimCity will receive an email that will give directions on how to redeem this offer, and you can also find more information on our FAQ. We'll be opening up the redemption portal country-by-country so some of you may see it a little sooner than others."

"The portal will be live worldwide for everyone to select their game by March 22. We don't want any of you to miss out on your free game, so please note that you must register your copy of SimCity before March 25, 2013 at 11:59 PM PDT and you must claim your free game by March 30, 2013 at 11:59PM PDT.

"At Maxis, our studio values dictate that we innovate and create something that is quirky, complex and challenging. Sometimes this bites us in the butt, but our servers are green and we're seeing record numbers of players all online and having a great time.

"Here is the list of games that you will be able to choose from once you are able to redeem. It's a great list of games across the whole EA portfolio, so pick one and add it to your Origin library on us!:

"We're getting great feedback from our fans and know that many of you are having fun and exploring this whole new expression of SimCity," the developer continued. "We're humbled by your patience and passion for the game. Thanks for building something very special with us, together."

For the latest on SimCity, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Click To Unmute

Feedbackula - SimCity Server Outrage

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

00:00:00

Sorry, but you can't access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

View Comments (348)

Plants vs. Zombies

Medal of Honor: Warfighter

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Join the conversation

There are 348 comments about this story

348 Comments RefreshSorted By 348 results 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

GameSpot has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to toxic conduct in comments. Any abusive, racist, sexist, threatening, bullying, vulgar, and otherwise objectionable behavior will result in moderation and/or account termination. Please keep your discussion civil.

Please Log In to post.

1604

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

I love how haters will always find a way to hate.. EA messed up with ONE game after a streak of successful games, and instead of apologizing to the costumers and moving on like EVERY other company does, and you do know it happens unless your blind or a hater. they fixed the game, and actually give us a new and successful selling video game, and you all still think they're in the wrong here.... wow, seems to me like EA are simply trying to do good and all they get in return is hate. you people (who are giving EA hate) disgust me.

3 • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By TJ-Leeland

@Armyboy5 I don't know... being a tool disgusts me, but whatever floats your boat.

I think they would have been better off not making this offer only to give people a bunch of games from a completely different genre with a five day window. It seems like they had extensive meetings to determine what titles they could offer that would look good but have the least actual appeal to the type of player that would buy Sim City.

Personally, I think they would have been better off just apologizing and moving on. This smacks of manipulation of the process and leaves me disliking EA more.

Upvote • 12 years ago

242

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 0

@Armyboy5 they're not as bad as microsoft but I've had problems with a few of their games, bf 1943 has mic issues that were never fixed. and I've had server problems and crap with bf3. To say that they never have technical issues is crazy but to just hate for hating is too. I think EA needs to be humbled a little to appreciate the marketshare they have

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@Armyboy5 Sticking up for EA disgust me.

10 • 12 years ago

36

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@Armyboy5 A big part of the problem is that they lied to us about the online requirements. It has been proven by several reliable sources that the game requires minimal online interaction to be fully functional.

12 • 12 years ago

8976

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 26

User Lists: 0

Edited By Gen_Warbuff

@Omegatron_ @Armyboy5 Wrong. I can play in my own PRIVATE region without having to interact with others.

2 • 12 years ago

8976

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 26

User Lists: 0

@chrisrooR @Gen_Warbuff @Omegatron_ @Armyboy5 Still wrong. They told us UP FRONT that you ALWAYS needed a internet connection to play. They never tried to hide that. Along with the DRM, nothing was kept a secret.

Upvote • 12 years ago

9027

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

@Gen_Warbuff @Omegatron_ @Armyboy5

Not if the servers are down you can't.

3 • 12 years ago

498

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By WafflePrime

hey a good decision for once, now if only they'd listen to the fans more often we wouldn't need to go through this

Upvote • 12 years ago

1604

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

Edited By Armyboy5

@WafflePrime what the hell does this have to do with listening to the fans? it was a technical issue that made them decide to apologize with a new free game

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

Raise your hand if you're going to get MoH: Warfighter! WHOOO!!!!

*sarcasm*

5 • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Ark1of712

This should go down in history. Way to go EA.

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

:( I thought it was a free game for everyone

7 • 12 years ago

11465

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 7

User Lists: 0

Edited By the_bi99man

@lingo56 Why would they do that?

Upvote • 12 years ago

336

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 396

User Lists: 0

@lingo56 lol, buy a game for 5 pounds get DS3 worth of 30...would be a great deal...but no, it's more like buy simcity for 60, get something for around 15-25...

Upvote • 12 years ago

deactivated-5ce92612ab724

26

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

deactivated-5ce92612ab724

@thorn3000 @lingo56

I bought mine for £35 and I'm getting DS3, which is around £30 even thought Origin sells it for £40.

Simcity + DS3 = £35, £17.50 for each game, that is the price I was willing to pay for SimCity and DS3. I see no problem with that, do you?

Upvote • 12 years ago

35

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

well done for doing something, and giving away a game EA.... however the fan base just wants the single player of simcity pls! kthxbye

Upvote • 12 years ago

CaptainGamespot

616

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

CaptainGamespot

They got rid of their CEO and are giving gamers a free game, seems good.

7 • 12 years ago

399

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 33

User Lists: 0

The free game is ok but now that EA fired CEO John Riccitiello, Apology accepted for this one EA.

p.s. I still want offline mode lol.

2 • 12 years ago

57

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

@pongley @Darth_Aloysius Lol, thx! I'm literally just going to get this game for free and play it instead! Thx EA!

Upvote • 12 years ago

99

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@Darth_Aloysius @pongley If I were you, I'd look around instores first..

I know some Bestbuys still carry the SimCity box that contained SimCity 4 Deluxe plus Sim Society's (which wasnt that good).you may be able to pick that up for a bargain and redeem your free game on BF3 or deadspace 3(if those games interest you). ie, take full advantage of EA's free game deal as you can (retail SimCity4 has no restrictions or forms of DRM)

Also, since all the bad press about the new simcity, i got back into simcity 4 and actually think its much better :)

Upvote • 12 years ago

57

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By Beniboybling

Lol, SimCity 4 - buy that and play it instead ;) (Serious Question: If I buy SimCity 4 will it work on my Windows 7 PC?)

Upvote • 12 years ago

4685

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

Edited By Spartan_418

What's sad is that EA is likely going to profit even more from these free game offers. Those who choose Battlefield 3, which is just the basic version, will be tempted to also spend $50 on BF3 Premium.

Dead Space 3 and Mass Effect 3 are loaded with in-game microtransactions.

4 • 12 years ago

Rosemeadshredde

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Rosemeadshredde

@Spartan_418 They give away a free game and you still find something to complain about. Go slap yourself.

10 • 12 years ago

2038

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Hope their servers don't crash trying to register all the free games. Curious how long it will take for them to process the requests and send out the games. Glad I'm don't have to worry about any of this...

Upvote • 12 years ago

1890

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 14

User Lists: 0

@Hvac0120 I assume they'll just credit you in Origin, and you download the game digitally. I doubt they will "send out" anything physical.

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 13

User Lists: 0

So EA is going to give players the chance to choose from more flawed games?

If you choose Battlefield 3, you'll get bored once the new one comes out.

Who is going to waste their free game on Bejeweled 3? What a waste of an offer... how insulting, EA... next...

Dead Space 3? The most anticlimactic game ever? You'll be annoyed if you got this for free and played it through only to see the ending... although, you'll be glad you didn't pay for it.

Mass Effect 3... another clusterf**k from EA/BioWare. Does this include the horrible "ending content" patch? You know, the one EA and BioWare has to release due to the outrage of fans from the broken promises they made. It doesn't change the ending of the game at all, but gives you a few extra scenes at the end. A great game, but an overall waste of time if you were a fan and haven't played 1 and 2 yet only to be disappointed with how 3 ends.

MoH Warfighter: A disaster of control, overdone graphics, and boring story. CoD Black Ops 2 soon put this to bed.

Need for Speed Most Wanted: You're already invested in another great racing game if you're into the genre, I'm sure.

Plants Vs. Zombies? Another insult to those who paid for SimShitty... why are you trying to pawn off a mobile app game as your apology?

And SimCity 4? You're going to give me the much better, older version of the game tons pre-ordered months in advance? That's like giving Warcraft players Orcs Vs Men. What a waste.

People should throw this offer back in the face of EA and let them know where everyone stands.

Upvote • 12 years ago

161

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@pgrammus Can you explain this statement of yours
"If you choose Battlefield 3, you'll get bored once the new one comes out."
I mean how do you get bored when the new one comes? I bought battlefield 3 & b2k couple weeks after its release and I still play it. The multiplayer is awesome and competitive.

DeadSpace 3 - What was wrong with the ending?

2 • 12 years ago

242

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 0

Edited By obsequies

and it's STILL a better deal than a xbox live gold card

8 • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By anigmha

@obsequies Please stop reminding that I'm throwing 50 bucks a year on that shitty service that is Xbox Live. Thank you.

Upvote • 12 years ago

205

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 17

User Lists: 0

@anigmha @obsequies I don't mind. Then again hes just reminding me that I'm not.

Upvote • 12 years ago

242

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 0

Edited By obsequies

@vault-boy @anigmha @obsequies isn't that what rroders got? xbox live gold? FREE internet?

Upvote • 12 years ago

1282

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Dang; Battlefield 3 and Dead Space 3 for free? That's pretty good! I'm not going to get those on PC; I don't even have Origin, but still, I think that's nice. Oh, there are more choices! Sweet.

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

...and then John Riccitiello announces his resignation.... What a strange day.

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By Aaronp2k

Just to stop all the wishful thinking that has been taking place in these comments. EA will never go out of business. The chances of EA going bankrupt are the same as the chances of the world ending in 2012 (which were impossible, because it was all total bullshit made up by scientists to sell their documentary dvds). Just let it go will you, you are just grasping at straws. EA own the biggest sports gaming franchises in the industry, they own the mass effect franchise, they own the battlefield franchise, they own the dead space franchise, they own the need for speed franchise. These are some of the biggest games out today, there is no way EA would ever go bankrupt even if you stopped buying drm games other people would carry on.

2 • 12 years ago

161

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Geez how unthankful of some people. At least appreciate the move EA made. If it was ubisoft, they would have just ported their game from console to PC and wouldn't give a flying **** about the all the bugs & faults....ring any bell?

7 • 12 years ago

205

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 17

User Lists: 0

Edited By vault-boy

@aamir69 So we should be thankful that the released a game that they knew that it wasn't going to work (we all knew it wouldn't, they did too), banned people who demanded there money back, blocked users from posting about it on the forums for the game, criticized reviewers for taking into account that there game is broken when they gave there scores and have been basically been the driving force in ruining gaming over this last generation because they gave us a bunch of games that either:

A) Sold like shit (Dead Space, Warfighter (lol at a stupid name for a game, too))

B) Is part of a long running franchise they are trying to rope people into (BF3, ME3. Need for Speed)

C) is dated and ins't worth much anyways (Simcity 4)

or D) is an arcade game (PVZ).

I would say calling that not enough is a fucking understatement. I don't care what Ubisoft would have done, or any other company. EA is fucking up the industry more than any other publisher and this bullshit apology that is half assed at best and a marketing ploy or worst ain't gonna cover it.

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

@aamir69 couldn't have said that better. ubisoft can be absolutely terrible compared to EA. I do not know one person who has not had a problem with an ubisoft game.

2 • 12 years ago

YearoftheSnake5

9731

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 55

User Lists: 0

Edited By YearoftheSnake5

Buy a broken game, get a better game free. That's fair. Still don't like the fact that it all needs to go through that BS Origin DRM.

Upvote • 12 years ago

bi0hazard187949

631

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 0

bi0hazard187949

So they giving us games we already have. Yeah...

Upvote • 12 years ago

deactivated-5ff28c2bbd684

95

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

deactivated-5ff28c2bbd684

@bi0hazard187949 the only game i have on the list is BF3. so the rest are fine with me!

Upvote • 12 years ago

123

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By SergioMX

@bi0hazard187949 So you're complaining about free games. Yeah...do you want them to give you a game that will come out next year or something?

Upvote • 12 years ago

bi0hazard187949

631

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 0

bi0hazard187949

@SergioMX EA should give us a choice of any pc game they have on Origin.

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

The downside is you still have to use origin to download the free games...

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Now EAis buyingconsumers? If onlythey admitted that, play alwaysonline wasa bad idea. But well, i don't think people will forgive so easily !!

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Its the same BS Sony pulled off trying to beg for forgiveness after everyone's PSN account could have been hacked... OFFER FREE CRAP MADE BY US TO BEG FOR FORGIVENESS aka "we really don't give a **** about you! So bogus...

>=)

Upvote • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

@KaSeRRoR was not sony's fault they got hacked though. Any system in the world (including 360) is hackable.

2 • 12 years ago

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

"We're getting great feedback from our fans and know that many of you are having fun and exploring this whole new expression of SimCity,"

YEAH RIGHT! So what kins of drugs are y'all using?

3 • 12 years ago

deactivated-5ff28c2bbd684

95

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

deactivated-5ff28c2bbd684

@pwc2 they must be talking about powered fans? cause i'm pretty sure Fan and EA don't belong in the same sentence.

Upvote • 12 years ago

194

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

Damn....if I knew they were going to offer those, I would never have bought 2 of them.

Upvote • 12 years ago

222

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Man this is like buying off people for a re-election campaign after you failed to deliver on any promises. The list may be good but your still going to be watched like a hawk EA.

2 • 12 years ago

242

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 0

battlefield 3 is a good deal for buying sim city

Upvote • 12 years ago

4408

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 0

Here advice for game developers and future game developers if you see E A coming to to your work place to make deal with your games so no way that ways game developers and future game deveolpers won't be ruin by greedy EA company

Upvote • 12 years ago

310

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

As nice as this is this only covers up their screw up while they continue to force different forms of DRM down our throats along with Blizzard and Activision, trying to get their consumers comfortable with it. It'll probably work unfortunately at this rate...

Upvote • 12 years ago

348 results
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Use your keyboard!

ESC

Log in to comment