JUST IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY
SHOPPING!
EA SHIPS THE SIMS 2 FOR PSP TO
STORE SHELVES TODAY
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – December 7,
2005 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world’s leading interactive
entertainment software company, today shipped The Sims™ 2 for the PSP™
(PlayStation® Portable) handheld entertainment system to retailer shelves.
A Great Gift for Anyone on Your
List!
Gift-givers can find The Sims 2 for
the PSP on store shelves by December 9th 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 recognized
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 capitalize 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 customization 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 holiday, 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 GameCube™, the Game Boy® Advance, the Nintendo DS™, the PC and now the
PSP™ (PlayStation® Portable).
Fans of the PC game can extend the
experience of the game by purchasing The Sims 2 Holiday Edition, a special
holiday-themed version of The Sims 2 featuring exclusive bonus content!
Additionally, for players on-the-go, mobile versions will be available across
all major cell phone carriers this winter including Sprint, Verizon Wireless and
Cingular. It is official… The Sims 2 is everywhere this holiday season!
Rated “T” for teen by the ESRB, The
Sims 2 for the PSP was developed by the award winning EA-Maxis studio, under the
EA™ brand.
For more information, or to find out
how the game will play on your favorite platform, please visit
www.thesims2.com
About The Sims™
The 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 Sims™ 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 Sims™ Livin’ Large, The Sims™
House Party, The Sims™ Hot Date, The Sims™ Vacation, The Sims™ Unleashed, The
Sims™ Superstar and The Sims™ 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 Sims 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 Sims™ 2 University and
The Sims™ 2 Nightlife shipped in March 2005 and September 2005 respectively. In
Fall 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://www.thesims2.com
and for more information on The Sims franchise titles, visit
http://www.thesims.com.
