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Avatarbook: Facebook Meets Online Gaming
For those of you who don’t know, The Sims Online is undergoing a revolution. After being stagnant for several years with little input, EA is finally reshaping the game and the world of multiplayer gaming as we know it. Sound like hyperbole? Perhaps, perhaps not; check out their latest addition to the online gaming experience: AvatarBook.
Facebook Made Flesh
So what is AvatarBook? The clue is in the name. One of the largest social networking websites on the planet today is Facebook, boasting over 58 million users. It’s become the primary reason many of us log on in the morning. However, as we all know, Facebook has its limitations, as do online games.
One problem with online games is that they can often feel too divorced from reality. You have your online friends and your real-world friends, and the two remain firmly divided. The same goes for Facebook—your user circle is limited to who you already know, making it difficult to meet new people without sharing all your private data or being introduced by a friend of a friend.
All that is set to change with a new application that could revolutionize our networking community forever. When Linden Labs made Linden Dollars (the currency of the hugely popular game Second Life) exchangeable for real-world currency, they opened up the world of online gaming by bridging it with reality. Now, EA wants to do the same by allowing users of The Sims Online to link their avatars’ accounts to their Facebook profiles.
AvatarBook has two faces: the in-game version and the Facebook version. In-game, you can use it much like Facebook, allowing you to find other avatars and view their limited profiles. For friends, the full profiles are visible, complete with walls for people to write on and updatable statuses. Your profile will also indicate whether your lot is open, and the application can be used to quickly navigate through EA Land, jumping from friend to friend.
On Facebook, the application displays your avatar’s details (unless you have chosen a private setting) and picture, along with your online status in the game. This feature allows players to see who is online without having to log in themselves. Additionally, you can invite other Facebook users who are not already Sims Online players to download the application and view your avatar profile, a move that EA hopes will attract more people to the game.
Currently, the bulk of the information that can be shared is avatar-related. Skills, properties, friends, and walls can all be viewed, while the identity of the real-life person behind the avatar remains private—for now.
Privacy Considerations
Privacy is a major concern for EA, and as such, AvatarBook is currently limited in the amount of information that can be shared. In The Sims, you can add people to your friends list, which will provide them with a link to your Facebook profile rather than making a direct connection. However, this is expected to change as the application evolves. No one in EA Land (the Sims Online world where the application will be available) will have access to your real name; you will only be searchable by your avatar’s name. EA has indicated that they plan to allow players to lower their privacy settings to share more information, but for now, they are playing it safe.
The Future of AvatarBook
This application clearly shows great potential, and EA plans to continue its development based on user feedback. The Sims Online game is currently undergoing a transformation, with a free trial set to become permanent free play in the near future (albeit with limited gameplay for non-paying users, similar to Second Life). For years, Second Life has led the way in innovation and social interactivity, but if EA keeps this up, we could be looking at a new contender for the crown.
After all, EA created two of the most popular games of all time—The Sims and The Sims 2—so some might say this evolution is less of a surprise and more of a long-awaited return to form. This is certainly one to watch as the landscape of online gaming continues to evolve.