The Sims Social goes live

The game that many think could be EA’s killer social gaming IP is out of beta and has gone live.

The publisher says that the free-to-play Facebook game already has just short of 5m monthly active users.

The game itself, which was developed by EA-owned studio Playfish, combines the iconic Sims brand with the sort of gameplay made so popular by social hits such as Farmville.

"When we created The Sims Social, it was important for us to incorporate the deep gameplay nuances The Sims Studio has perfected and leverage what Playfish does best – develop compelling, cutting-edge social-gaming experiences," Playfish’s John Earner stated.