Users of Electronic Arts' (EA) online karaoke site The Sims on Stage received email notification today that the site would be closed "in order to focus resources on future games." All existing content on the site will be unavailable after March 31, 2009.
The site faced licensing issues late last summer when users had existing content deleted and EA was forced to disable recording options on some song options as well.
Visitors to The Sims on Stage site are now greeted by a message identical to the email sent to users. EA has issued no other press statements about the site closure at this time.
The email received by users:
Comments
as a simsonstage member, one among many, we are all extremely upset and some even angry about this abrupt posting and immenent closing of what is the best online karaoke game site.
It's a shame that, instead of coming to the members a few months ago and saying Look, we need money to help pay for servers, licenses, etc. and we need it from you. So we're going to keep part of the site free (even with banner ads!) and for full access, we will be going on a monthly subscription.
Just about all the adult members who've posted in the EA forums, on the SOS site feedbacks, in songs, the poetry section, profiles, all have said they don't want the site to close and they are willing to pay.
This is a sad time for us. To close a well designed, fairly well maintained, easy to use, fun, entertaining site that's become a kind of community for so many of us. And for what? It's not like EA's going to come out with something truly spectacular to take its place. The Sims franchise is probably their most popular and profitable, being that it is 99% family friendly - there's no monsters, no shooting and killing things, etc. It's just good, clean fun.
I personally called EA and was told that anyone who wants to keep the site open should go to Support and submit a ticket letting EA know that we do want the site kept open. And that we're willing to pay to keep it open.
as a simsonstage member, one among many, we are all extremely upset and some even angry about this abrupt posting and immenent closing of what is the best online karaoke game site.
It's a shame that, instead of coming to the members a few months ago and saying Look, we need money to help pay for servers, licenses, etc. and we need it from you. So we're going to keep part of the site free (even with banner ads!) and for full access, we will be going on a monthly subscription.
Just about all the adult members who've posted in the EA forums, on the SOS site feedbacks, in songs, the poetry section, profiles, all have said they don't want the site to close and they are willing to pay.
This is a sad time for us. To close a well designed, fairly well maintained, easy to use, fun, entertaining site that's become a kind of community for so many of us. And for what? It's not like EA's going to come out with something truly spectacular to take its place. The Sims franchise is probably their most popular and profitable, being that it is 99% family friendly - there's no monsters, no shooting and killing things, etc. It's just good, clean fun.
I personally called EA and was told that anyone who wants to keep the site open should go to Support and submit a ticket letting EA know that we do want the site kept open. And that we're willing to pay to keep it open.
Saddeneddesigner - I hear you. It's a shame that Sims on Stage users are going to lose their karaoke recordings as well as any connections made through the Sims online community.
Why not have a look at PureSolo (www.puresolo.com) for your future karaoke recordings? It offers the same recording functionalities as Sims on Stage but you can burn your recordings to CD and save them as mp3s on your desktop so you'll never lose them. There's also an online community where you can share your performances.
Your first track is free too.
We are really keen to have feedback from former Sims on Stage users so if you have an opinion about us, please send us an email and let us know!
I was a Sims on Stage member and have signed up trhough this offer for sims members (but I don't think it's limited to only sims members) .. try it - its a great site ...other sims members have moved here! http://www.thekaraokechannel.com/thesimsonstage
I am or i used to be a member of the sims on stage page and i am really upset with all i realised before some days, i mean about the closure of the page
It really gets me angry the fact that we all lose our songs, don't you think you owe us our songs back????
please let me know,
Cause it's illegal to erase all that stuff we did as a matter of a false decision
I will keep in touch with lawyers for that stuff....
You will be hearing from my Lawyer in a few days, as a professional recording artist, i have songs that were on Sims, that now are deleted and gone, these song are all copyright protected, and they were not using your lame Karaoke music, they were recorded in a studio and shared with your members, Be assured you will pay for all my songs lost due to your incompetance and ignorance to the fact most people on your site also had poems they wrote. See You in Court. ................Mike Tramp
the karaoke channel/sims on stage , is not good at all for non paying members. the songs are extremely limited. ooooo
Post new comment