Maybe I'm adding up two and two and getting five, but there're are a few tell tale signs last seen halfway through the life of Sims 2, that EA are phasing out Maxis. First off there was the removal of the Maxis logo from all things TS2. From things like loading screen logo to game disc box and book art. Logo removed. And we knew back then that Maxis were being removed, certainly in name. But EA had a marketing rethink about that for release of Sims 3 and Maxis were back with a bang, complete with Sim Gurus.

However, some things lately may all be adding up to EA wanting to remove them once again. And I can't say I blame them. We have the new official website to replace the old Sims website. The old one certainly had the Maxis logo. Now the new one, called EA Forums and hard-branded with the EA logo, and I cannot find the Maxis logo on there for love nor money. Ouch. What's his face Grant leaving a few months back because maybe he knew of the oncoming downsizing-to-extinction EA are planning for Maxis. The recent statement from EA, official EA logo and all, that they'll be fixing TS4, no Maxis logo in sight. If I were working for Maxis, I'd be worried about the big boss having to put out the statement and not Maxis. And though it's been a laughing stock for a while, the recent patch and slew of hot patches all going to prove that Maxis is something of a toxic name. EA want to distance themselves. Perhaps more among Maxis can feel the downsizing-to-extinction coming, any wonder they put out the worst patch in TS4 history because they're all too afraid for their jobs to actually do their jobs right. Or just out of spite. Maybe a bit of both.

Perhaps EA plan to have the Maxis name gone completely by the time Project Renee is ready for release, as an EA, and EA only game in name and title. The sins of old washed away? What do you reckon?

Even if this is not going to be the way of it, do you think it should be? Put your Business & Marketing Emperor's Laurels on and see if you give them a thumbs up to live on, or a thumbs down to put the toxic, industry wide laughing stock, customer infuriating brand out of their misery... Again.

As far as Grant goes, I'm not going to waste my time thinking about why he left, but, the Federal Trade Commission did do away with something called non-compete clauses. This in laymens terms means that if somebody works for EA, then decides they want to go work somewhere else for whatever reason, EA can no longer keep that person from working for one of their competitors.



https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/new...ing-noncompetes

Grant left before the FTC decision, so who knows what happened with that. It is interesting that he left one coast to live on another though.

There is a person on YT that goes by the name TheSimYin. She has been talking a lot lately about Rachel Franklin. In her most recent video, she commented that Andrew Wilson and Lyndsey Pearson need to step up and explain what is going on with TS4. She's going to be disappointed as Andrew Wilson only speaks to Wall Street overlords and Lyndsey Pearson is a Maxis VP now. She isn't going to be stepping on the podium and explaining what is going on either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjnoI1b_Mc

While we know the Dancing Queen, Rachel Franklin, is around, she has been keeping a low profile since she has come back after hanging out with the troll Mark Zuckerberg and his BS on Facebook and Instagram. It is kind of gross how chummy all these people are with one another. I digress.

Is EA trying to get rid of Maxis? I don't know. I know there was the article I posted a couple of weeks ago that basically suggested that "Sims" wasn't part of being one of the big cash cows for EA, but the article didn't elaborate on what the cold shoulder was all about beyond that.

Then there was that article from years ago that talked about how Maxis was warned about how this game was going to break if they piled all the DLC they wanted on to it. I don't have the link to said article, but Maxis was told that bad things would happen; here we are. TS4 is going on it's 4th (?) emergency patch since July 25th. It's not a cute look, but as usual, people keep buying and keep believing Yibs when they say " There are bugs; this isn't the final build" while they flood YT with their so-called 'honest reviews' of the newest, shiny pack. How many times can they get away with that? Jury is still out.

Even if EA did away with Maxis, TS4 wouldn't go away because Maxis was given the heave-ho. It is still making EA money even if it isn't in the amounts EA wants. The new content would dry up unless they had a completely different team working on it, but even then, TS4 would be still here for people to shake their fists at because they get a black screen when they try to play. This of course is assuming the EA App will even allow the game to load to begin with.

EA be like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-KmOd3i7s

While Maxis was as its peak with W. Wright, I feel neutral about their possible demise. My only gripe is that, without Maxis, the game might be even be at a shitter state (content wise, if not with performance stability), and nobody will give a F, because as always - players will send their condolences and continue playing and buying TS4.

But yeah, didn't suspect but wouldn't be surprised eitherway if EA kills Maxis again.

It wouldn't surprise me at all - going to be fun to see if Maxis takes their talents elsewhere before they get phased out