EA has today announced the celebration of the ten year anniversary of The Sims franchise.
Since the original The Sims debut on February 4, 2000, the franchise has produced three core games – The Sims, The Sims 2, and The Sims 3 – supported by dozens of expansion and stuff packs with lifetime unit sales eclipsing 125 million worldwide.
“The success of The Sims is something gamers and the gaming business as a whole can be proud of. With its charming and quirky style, lovely emergent game mechanics and user created creativity that delights every day, The Sims is a game that can be enjoyed by everybody and reflects what you put into it,” explained Rod Humble, Head of the EA Play label. “The future of The Sims is going to be a lot of fun; it is rare for an entertainment franchise to be gaining momentum a decade after release, so this is a particularly pleasant moment for everyone who has worked on the games.”
Rod Humble, the head of EA’s Sims label, is passionate about The Sims. He also has the infamy of actually appearing in one of the game’s expansion packs, FreeTime.
In the game, he visits a new house and drops off a computer that has The Sims 3 installed on it.
“It wasn’t my idea... I objected at the time and it didn’t feel right. One of the top threads (on The Sims forums) was Top 10 ways to kill Rod Humble, then the other was Top 10 ways to have sex with Rod Humble, then they had all these mutant kids they had made with Top 10 ugliest kids you can have with Rod Humble, so I realised it was a bad idea, and why I had objected. It was very disturbing…”
Humble would also like to eventually live in New Zealand, after his brother lived here for a while and told him about the country.
With over a hundred million units shipped to date, you can't deny that The Sims is one popular franchise.
Developers Maxis started the series nearly a decade ago, after venerable designer Will Wright insisted he could take their immensely popular SimCity series in a new direction and make a "people sim". The concept of manipulating people sitting in their houses whilst you sat in yours was, perhaps surprisingly, a hit, and even after seven expansions the series is still going from strength to strength.
The Sims 3 is due out this year, and despite a recent release date slip looks set to take the franchise to a whole new level. For the first time, you'll be able to follow your Sims as they leave the house and actually participate in the real world, and with a host of new customisation options you'll be able to project your own personality (or anyone else's for that matter) on to your chosen character.
Electronic Arts today announced that The Sims 3, the highly-anticipated flagship game from the best-selling PC franchise The Sims, will launch across the PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch and mobile devices mid-year 2009.
The Sims 3 for PC will ship to store shelves worldwide starting June 2, 2009. Electronic Arts NZ have informed us that it will be on sale here on June 5.
“The Sims 3 is an incredible game that lets you play with life, create art and show off your creations,” said Ben Bell, Executive Producer, The Sims 3. “In the game, players are inspired by endless creative possibilities like the new Traits and Lifetime Wish features which allow players to create Sims with real personalities and destinies. Players can then take their Sim into town to interact with other Sims in the game and capture the action on video to show off online.”
Electronic Arts have today released a "behind the scenes" video of their upcoming sequel The Sims 3.
Featuring a brand new engine that has been in development for nearly three years, The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighbourhood right outside their door. The initial feature-set unveiled includes the new seamless, open neighbourhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities and new unlimited customization. The Sims 3 will launch globally in 2009.
Check out the trailer at GP Downloads (615MB).
Electronic Arts today announced at the Leipzig Games Convention that The Sims 3 will be available at retailers worldwide and available by digital download on February 20, 2009.
The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless creative possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief. The feature-set includes a new seamless, open neighbourhood, new Create-a-Sim, new unique personality traits, new unlimited customization and new gameplay that's quick and rewarding.
The Sims 3 Collector's Edition will also be in stores on February 20, 2009. The Sims 3 Collector's Edition will include the full game along with additional collectable Sims merchandise and a bonus in-game Italian-Style Sports Car unavailable elsewhere. A limited number of copies of The Sims 3 Collector's Edition will be available worldwide, and those who pre-order the product from select retailers will receive an additional exclusive in-game vintage sports car and a collectible poster that is a first look at the neighbourhood, all available while supplies last.
Electronic Arts today released the first trailer and twelve new screens from The Sims 3, the next instalment in franchise that features a brand new engine - under development for nearly three years.
The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighbourhood right outside their door. The initial feature-set unveiled includes the new seamless, open neighbourhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities and new unlimited customization. The Sims 3 will launch globally in 2009.
Screenshots below - the trailer can be had from GP Downloads.
The Sims 3 lets you immerse truly unique Sims in an open, living neighborhood just outside their door! The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief.
Features:
- New Seamless, Open Neighborhood-Explore the neighborhood freely. Your Sims can roam throughout their neighborhood, visit neighbors’ homes, and explore the surroundings. They can stroll downtown to hang out with friends, meet someone new at the park, or run into colleagues on the street. If your Sims are in the right place at the right time, who knows what might happen?!
- New Create A Sim-Create any Sim you can imagine. New easy-to-use design tools allow for unlimited customization to make truly individual Sims. Determine your Sims’ shape and size, from thin to full-figured to muscular-and everything in between! Choose your Sims’ facial features, their exact skin tone, hair, eye shape and color and select their clothing and accessories.
- New Realistic Personalities-Every Sim is a unique person, with a distinct personality. Create realistic Sims with distinctive personalities. Select from dozens of personality traits and combine them in fun ways. The combination of traits you choose-brave, artistic, loner, perfectionist, klepto, romantic, clumsy, paranoid, and much, much more-help shape the behavior of your Sims and how they interact with other Sims. Your Sims can now rise above their basic set of every day needs. They are complex individuals with unique personalities.
- New Unlimited Customization-Everyone can customize everything! Build your dream house or design the ultimate home. Customize everything from floors to flowers, shirts to sofas, wallpaper to window shades. It’s fun and easy to change colors and patterns giving you endless personalization options. Or you can populate your Sims’ neighborhood with pre-designed buildings and furnishings. Which of your Sims will live in high-end mansions, cool bachelor pads, ultimate dream homes or low-cost cottage?
