With a claim that "EA does not get social", Business Insider has branded an apparent no-show by the publisher's social studio Playfish at E3 as the final nail in the developer's coffin.

The website claims EA's decision to showcase Playfish's SimCity for Facebook at the event without the hand of any executives from the developer a sign its $400 million acquisition of the firm back in 2010 was a dud.

Fish out of water

"Playfish just doesn't have much juice left," details Business Insider's Matt Lynley.

"The utter lack of attention to its prized studio during what is supposed to be the launch of one of its biggest social games ever is basically the final nail in Playfish's coffin."

The game's unveiling came a matter of weeks after former Playfish development director Catharina Lavers Mallet let her position at the studio to take up a job at rival social outfit King.com.

Socially speaking

EA's unlikely to share such a pessimistic view, however.

While rumours have suggested the publisher was looking to downsize Playfish ever since it was acquired, chatter just weeks before E3 has claimed the firm's The Sims Social for Facebook was "on life support."

That's an assertion EA described as "misinformed" in a statement to VentureBeat, with the game serving as "EA's top social game."

An unnamed source, again cited by Business Insider, has suggested Playfish India – which was behind The Sims Social – was "just going to keep the lights on."

EA also reportedly closed Playfish's studio in Tromso, Norway, back in May, with 21 jobs lost.

[source: Business Insider]