So here comes Sims 3 on the N-Gage. Which is, not surprisingly, rather like the version of Sims 3 we've already reviewed. To be honest, all that has been added from the original Ovi Store release is the N-Gage Arena Points System, and unfortunately you can't access the saved game of one version in the other - so the house and life built up from my original review is not going to carry over into this iteration.
But does this dual nature highlight something else? The release of Sims 3 on N-Gage is going to be very interesting for Nokia and Electronic Arts. Why? Because this java-based title is already out there in various formats and locations – which means Electronic Arts (EA) are going to be able to do something that, if they made it public, would make very interesting reading. They can take the sales of the mobile versions of Sims 3, and see what works in terms of sales - and what doesn't.
One of those fascinating comparisons would be in the Symbian application space. Sims 3 is available from a number of third party web stores, but its recent release on N-Gage (with the aforementioned slight tweaks in the software) will mean that EA can see just how effective Nokia have made the next generation gaming system and how much of a return it offers.
Of course you can already get Sims 3 Mobile through official Nokia channels, it's available on the Ovi Store, which is what led to our first review of the title. How much traction did the app get in the Ovi Store? It's unlikely that we'll ever see actual sale numbers from the Ovi Store, but do remember that Sims 3 was already announced for the N-Gage, so it's not a case of EA moving sales channels – it''s more a case of EA looking to maximise revenue from the investment in the Java title.
Neither will we get official sales numbers from N-Gage, but again the numbers will be there for EA and Nokia to look at. The best indication we'll see if the Nokia branded portals are a success will be in EA's later releases in Q3 and Q4 this year. If they put a bit more focus on Ovi and N-Gage releases compared to the regular Java fare served up, then there is a benefit to being in these channels.
If there's no change in response, then we have to hope that Nokia is taking a serious look at why. The Ovi Store is meant to be the one stop shop for S60 content – should they be promoting the big names like EA and the titles that have attraction? Yes!
What of N-Gage? Is it confusing the matter by providing two portals to grab the demos of the N-gage titles (and two icons on compatible devices)? Has there been a secret signal to the developers of what the Ovi Store is going to mean to the N-Gage? If so, could we know what it is? And if not, why not?
Sims 3 Everywhere!
Having a muddled message is not a good sign in any commercial endeavour, and for all that Ovi is going to be an overall brand name for Nokia's online portal, it is still a muddle – even more so when it comes to the new battleground of device applications – yes apps have always been there but the clear message from Apple ("there's an app for that too" - unless it's Google Voice) has turned the focus on them. At the moment, Nokia's visible message about apps is spread over a number of locations on the phone and online. Not good.
Be it where to buy them, where their developers should be targeting their efforts, where the media goes to see the fun stuff for our smartphones, one simple message about applications should be enough.
-- Ewan Spence, July 2009.