The Sims 4 community is not happy with EA’s new initiative that brings microtransactions to custom content.
Electronic Arts recently announced a new initiative for The Sims 4, introducing the Maker Programme and an in-game Marketplace that allows community creators to publish and sell custom content (CC) through an official platform.
However, the announcement immediately sparked backlash, as players criticised EA for placing a paywall on custom content that has historically been mostly free throughout The Sims 4’s lifespan. The situation is further compounded by EA’s controversial revenue split, which many players considered unfair toward the creators.
In this new initiative, Maxis will approve selected CC creators for induction in The Maker Programme, allowing them to submit their creations to the Marketplace when it launches on 17 March. The creators’ product will be available in the form of “Maker Packs”, which will be sold alongside official content, like Expansion Packs and Kits, on the Marketplace.
The Sims 4 CC now locked behind a paywall with a new virtual currency “Moola”
While official content on the Marketplace can still be purchased directly using real money, CC from creators will require a new virtual currency called Moola. This currency can be purchased in bundles ranging from 200 Moola (US$2.49) to 5,500 Moola (US$49.99).
The introduction of a new virtual currency has drawn criticism online, with many questioning the need for it. Some players believe that it is intended to obscure the real-world cost of items, calling it another example of EA’s allegedly predatory monetisation practices.
“Of course they are also adding a special currency that you have to use instead of paying directly, masking how much a product actually costs. This is gross,” one user commented on Reddit.
Others have raised questions about the legality of the virtual currency. EA may address this by displaying real-world prices alongside the virtual cost of Maker Packs–a format already used in games such as Fortnite.
EA imposes a controversial 70–30 revenue split
Under the new system, EA will take 70% of each sale, while creators will receive approximately 30% of the purchase price. For an established game with tons of DLCs, EA’s move to now monetise content made by the community has left many players dissatisfied.
“A 70:30 split is wild. EA makes 70% of the money while the creators do 90% of the work. That's frankly ridiculous. If the split was better and they allowed free content as well, I'd be fine with it–but this is just another step in the wrong direction,” a comment read on another Reddit post.
EA even provided an example stating that if a player spends 100 Moola on a Maker Pack, the creator would receive around $0.30 USD. However, Makers will have the freedom to decide both the contents and the pricing of their packs.
To make matters more controversial, Maxis stated that creators will still be allowed to develop and distribute mods outside the official Marketplace, provided that those releases remain completely free. The developer also emphasised that any content published on the Marketplace must remain exclusive to the platform.
This significant change will undoubtedly have a major impact on the custom content community and the players, who have supported it for years.
It’s worth to note that this aggressive monetisation comes in the midst of EA’s ongoing US$55 billion buyout by Saudi Arabia, which will saddle the company with a $20 billion debt.
