SimCity Offers Red Cross DLC for Charity

[Fanghawk]

SimCity Offers Red Cross DLC for Charity

SimCity players can now deploy Red Cross units to in-game disaster zones, all while supporting the actual organization.

It's now been six months since <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/10241-SimCity-Is-Broken-And-Its-Not-Just-the-Servers>SimCity's disastrous PC launch, where many prospective fans either gave up on the franchise or waited impatiently for game-fixing patches. Today, the situation has largely improved. Players have access to SimCity for Mac, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127346-SimCity-Mac-Installation-Issues-Resolved>barring some initial complications, and can expand their game <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124533-SimCity-Amusement-Park-DLC-is-Out-Now>with the latest DLC content. If those features aren't enough to let you give SimCity another chance, perhaps an appeal to charity would help you reconsider. As part of a partnership between Electronic Arts and the Red Cross, Maxis is offering a limited-time Red Cross DLC pack to SimCity players. Not only would this boost your city's disaster response capabilities, but the profits will help real-world Red Cross organizations respond to actual disasters.

The DLC pack includes an in-game Red Cross Relief Center, deployment tents, and vehicles that travel your city promoting disaster relief. That sounds pretty innocuous at first, but the in-game organization changes dramatically in times of crisis. Once an inevitable natural disaster occurs, like a tornado or meteor strike, Red Cross tents automatically appear across the city to provide aid for your sims. As the city recovers, each tent releases 10 sims back into the city and disappears until the next disaster. Relief tents function independently of SimCity's usual fire and ambulance services, adding another layer of protection for your sims just for buying the DLC.

SimCity's Red Cross pack is available in the SimCity Store for $9.99, which sounds admittedly steep for a few tents and vehicles. That being said, at least 80% of proceeds will go to participating Red Cross organizations, including a minimum $100,000 donation from EA. If that's enough to make you reconsider, the DLC pack will be available for one year before its listing is removed from the SimCity Store.

Source: <a href=http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/ea-and-the-red-cross-to-offer-aid-in-simcity>SimCity

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[TiberiusEsuriens]

It's now been six months since <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/10241-SimCity-Is-Broken-And-Its-Not-Just-the-Servers>SimCity's disastrous PC launch

Someone should deploy the DLC to the Maxis headquarters.

 

[kajinking]

Between this, the crest DLC and Leaf DLC I'm getting the feeling that Maxis is pairing up with anyone they can to try and get people to buy some DLC for this game since things are obviously not going as well as planned.

"Oh this DLC is for charity! This DLC helps the enviroment! This DLC promotes good dental care! BUY SOME DAMN DLC ALREADY!!!"

 

[Covarr]

This doesn't look like bigger cities or offline play. I'd gladly donate to Red Cross for those.

P.S. Thanks

 

[tmande2nd]

I think I will just go and donate some money or time to the Red Cross instead.

Since I support the Red Cross, and dont feel like supporting EA or its crappy games in any way

 

[CriticalMiss]

Or people could donate $10 to the Red Cross and they will get the whole $10, plus the $100k EA are giving them anyway. I don't think EA should be taking a cut of the money if they actually give a shit about the charity, it just looks like they are trying to gain favour with gamers by not being as EA-like.

 

[Psychobabble]

Or people could donate $10 to the Red Cross and they will get the whole $10, plus the $100k EA are giving them anyway. I don't think EA should be taking a cut of the money if they actually give a shit about the charity, it just looks like they are trying to gain favour with gamers by not being as EA-like.

Yep. This is not charity. It's shameless self promotion at the expense of others less fortunate and stealing from the reputation of the group of people who actually want to do something to help people in need and not just make some more video game sales.

 

[Griffolion]

...it just looks like they are trying to gain favour with gamers by not being as EA-like.

And the attempt, ironically, makes them look as EA-like as ever. Cynical, heartless money grabbers wholly out of touch with gamers.

 

[Ticklefist]

Nothing wrong with donating "only" 80% of the proceeds. In no situation where goods are exchanged. Ever.

 

[fluxy100]

Wow would you look at heartless EA, how dare they spend the time and resources to make something in-game for charity and ask for a paltry sum of only 2 bucks for them and 8 bucks for the charity to pay for it!!

How dare they use Red Cross's name for promotion, like every other entity that announces doing something for charity!!

And would you look at that 100 thousand dollar donation! Silly EA, being nice, we all know that the only thing more evil than them is Hitler eating a baby.

Sarcasm aside, I think this is a nice idea. EA gets money, Consumers get something in-game and a charity gets money.

 

[jackpipsam]

I think this is pretty nice.

I mean these things cost money to make so taking 20% isn't that bad.

 

[1337mokro]

80% of the proceeds?

Why not 100%?

This is a re-skinned school with the item pop up generator adding a tent in case of disaster. The only bit they actually had to exert effort on what the arbitrary 10 sims, which makes no sense because the city is full and where the fuck are they going to live?

I guess EA will be EA, has to make a profit even on charity, especially that 100k they "donated" to start the event off.

 

[RicoADF]

Wow would you look at heartless EA, how dare they spend the time and resources to make something in-game for charity and ask for a paltry sum of only 2 bucks for them and 8 bucks for the charity to pay for it!!

How dare they use Red Cross's name for promotion, like every other entity that announces doing something for charity!!

And would you look at that 100 thousand dollar donation! Silly EA, being nice, we all know that the only thing more evil than them is Hitler eating a baby.

Sarcasm aside, I think this is a nice idea. EA gets money, Consumers get something in-game and a charity gets money.

Agreed, I'll be grabbing the DLC tonight after work, nice move EA keep it up

Captcha: Sleep tight - I was going to but now......

 

[Strazdas]

Now tell us about the reality: RedCross airdrops stuff, gangs take the stuff and kill unrury civs. Yea, great organization filled with hypocritical fat cats.

sorry, the situation is happening outside your villadge borders, therefore only the magical clouds can experience that.