From June on, Electronic Arts offers “IKEA Home-Accessories” for the strategic life-simulation computer game Sims 2. With this add-on (sold for about 20 Dollars), Sims-players can furnish their virtual homes in Swedish design. They can choose from bedroom, living room and office furniture. But there is one major difference to the real world: Sims players do not have to deal with the troublesome assembling of Billy, Extorp and co, since the furniture is delivered in one piece!

After co-operations with Ford and H&M, Electronic Arts continues to integrate brands from the everyday real life in their games and thereby Electronic Arts meets the players’ demand to further evolve and personalize the Sims world. Moreover, it is a means of differentiation and an additional revenue generator for the game company. In return, IKEA gets access to relevant target groups and increases Sims players’ involvement with the IKEA brand and its products. I think overall a fairly good co-operation concept as it also offers added value for users!