EA SHIPS THE SIMS 2 FOR PSP TO
STORE SHELVES ACROSS EUROPE ON DECEMBER 16TH
CHERTSEY, UK – December 7, 2005 –
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world’s leading interactive entertainment
software company, today announced it is shipping The SimsTM 2 for the PSPTM
(PlayStation® Portable) system to retailers across Europe on December 16th.
A Great Gift for Anyone on Your
List! Gift-givers can find The Sims 2 for the PSP on store shelves by December
23rd 2005, as well as discover The Sims 2 on other handheld, console and PC
platforms. The ground-breaking gameplay and laugh-out-loud scenarios in The Sims
2 have spawned record sales for the franchise with more than 58 million units
sold worldwide. The Sims is recognised as one of the few game brands to achieve
popularity across all ages and genders. Such widespread appeal confirms that The
Sims 2 is a great gift for anyone on your list, from Cousin Ralph and Grandpa
Bob to Aunt Sarah and Niece Nancy!
"The Sims franchise has become a pop
culture phenomenon! One of the top-five game brands in history, The Sims is
unique in drawing an audience of men and women of all ages, from all over the
world," said Sinjin Bain, Vice President and Executive Producer. "To meet the
diverse needs of our community, we have delivered The Sims 2 on a variety of
platforms. The PSP version of The Sims 2 was inspired by the best-selling PC
game, but built from the ground up to capitalise on the unique capabilities of
the PSP system."
Based on the PC version of The Sims
2, the PSP version leverages the unique capabilities of the next generation
handheld platform such as wireless, streamlined gameplay and beautiful graphics,
while maintaining the core components of creativity and customisation that are
integral to The Sims experience. PSP players will be able to delve deep into the
mysteries of Strangetown and discover the secrets hidden in five brand new
neighborhoods and 20 unique locations custom-built for the PSP. In addition to
fulfilling their Sims’ aspirations, PSP gamers can collect and trade secrets,
perks, potions and inventions, available only on the PSP!
The unique appeal of The Sims 2 is
that the game is whatever you make it! The gameplay experience lets you live out
the day-to-day life of the Sims characters that you create and control. Players
enjoy participating in all the ups and downs of their Sims’ lives!
This Christmas, casual gamers and
Sims aficionados alike can find The Sims 2 on the following platforms:
PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from
Microsoft, the Nintendo GameCubeTM, the Game Boy AdvanceTM, the Nintendo DSTM,
the PC, the mobile phone and now the PSPTM (PlayStation® Portable) system.
Fans of the PC game can extend the
experience of the game by purchasing The Sims 2 Christmas Party Pack, a special
Christmas-themed version of The Sims 2 featuring exclusive bonus content!
Additionally, for players on-the-go, mobile versions will be available across
major mobile phone carriers this winter including Vodaphone, Telefonica and O2.
It is official… The Sims 2 is everywhere this Christmas!
With a PEGI rating of 12+, The Sims
2 for the PSP was developed by the award winning EA-Maxis studio, under the EATM
brand.
For more information, or to find out
how the game will play on your favorite platform, please visit
http://eagames.co.uk/thesims
About The SimsTMThe Sims franchise
celebrated its fifth anniversary in February 2005. The game skyrocketed to the
top of the charts when it began shipping to stores in February 2000 and quickly
become a pop culture phenomenon. Released exclusively for PC, The SimsTM
original product and subsequent expansion packs were the best selling PC games
of 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Translated into 17 different languages, The Sims
has inspired seven top selling expansion packs including: The SimsTM Livin’ It
Up, The SimsTM House Party, The SimsTM Hot Date, The SimsTM On Holiday, The
SimsTM Unleashed, The SimsTM Superstar and The SimsTM Makin’ Magic. In 2003, the
series broke away from being a PC-only franchise and debuted for the first time
on videogame consoles and handheld platforms. The franchise issued The Sims and
The SimsTM Bustin’ Out –each of which were met with great success. Combined,
these two products have sold more than 8M units worldwide. The Sims 2 for PC
shipped in September 2004 and brought fans worldwide a brand new experience with
a richer depth of play, deeper emotional complexity and a laugh-out-loud sense
of humor. Sales topped 4.5M units worldwide within its first year, making it the
best selling PC game of 2004. The first expansion packs for the sequel, The
SimsTM 2 University and The SimsTM 2 Nightlife shipped in March 2005 and
September 2005 respectively. In Autumn 2005, The Sims 2 was released for the
videogame consoles. Today, the combined sales for the franchise have topped a
staggering 58M units life-to-date. For more information on The Sims 2, visit
http://eagames.co.uk/thesims and for more information on The Sims franchise
titles, visit
http://thesims.uk.ea.com
