Pet Society
Please Save Pet Society
The line of defense for those in the social gaming
sector is narrowing with each closure that comes ab
out. What had once been a healthy environment for players and
companies has lost its flourish in the race to save a game that has been around for four and a half years.
‘Pet Society’, the once dominating social game in the Playfish line-up has been shuttered by Electronic Arts, Inc.
(EA), the company that purchased the British gaming firm back in November, 2009. This was a mere six months after Playfish opened the Cash Shop on May 19, 2009. The success of Pet Society’s virtual cash seemed indicative as to how the company was doing; EA purchased it for four hundred million US dollars.
Since the announcement of ‘Pet Society’s’ closure on April 15, 2013, large groups of fans and players are protesting loudly against its closure. The big question being: What can individuals do to fight the actions of a multi-million dollar corporation like
Electronic Arts, Inc.?
Fans agree that the path EA is taking would seem less objectionable if they had met their customers halfway and refunded the remaining Pet Society cash into
Facebook credits. Instead, they show themselves as the product of corporate greed by demonstrating a genuine lack of regard towards their paying customers.
According to EA’s statement at the time of the announced closure on April 15, it would seem that their intentions were overtly clear; make as much money as possible without consideration to the players. “
Players are encouraged to spend their remaining balance of Pet Society Cash in Pet Society before the game is retired on June 14th. As of that date, any remaining
Pet Society Cash left in the game will be invalid.”
It is clear that amidst all these discussions of financial burdens or consequences, the real victim is not EA or its shareholders; instead, it is the individual players who have invested emotional and material value into the game.
Who will bear the real financial consequences of EA’s actions? The company itself, or those who choose to invest in its products?
A deeper question still remains in the minds of individual gamers who are losing their four year long investment with ‘Pet Society’. Would taking away the game, as well as the purchased virtual items, constitute fraud?
During the final week in March, just two weeks prior to their announcing ‘Pet Society’s’ closure, they held an ‘Easter Sale’ and reduced the price of their virtual currency by as much as 40 percent. The intention of lowering
the price of in-game currency in this manner tempts devoted players to part with their money.
Had EA already made the decision to close the game when they decided to offer these sales and milk a little extra cash from the players? Were the rumors accurate that they had planned to do so a year ago? It is not yet clear; however the questions among the fans of ‘Pet Society’ continue to circulate.
Is it also not coincidental that within the game it self, items were released for exorbitant prices with the promise that they would last ‘forever’? Did EA know that
they would be closing the game when they made such elaborate and costly items as the Elixir Cash Tree and the Angel Statue of Shovels (each priced at well over 150 of the in game currency)? Was this a plot so that none of the purchasers could fully enjoy the profits from these costly investments?
Many of the players suspect that EA knew well in advance that they were intending on shuttering the game.
After all, several Playfish employees had left thecompany in February 2013, one month prior to the Angel Statue of Shovel’s release on March 4, 2013.
Whatever the logic behind EA’s decision might be, one thing is clear; the people who invested thousands of dollars into this game over the course of four and a half years are being duped once again by big business. It is no wonder the company is so despised among the gaming community.
Written by: Yvette Jessen
Please Save Pet Society
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PleaseSavePetSociety/
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