Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology 
Thu, March 24, 2011
The Sims 3 for Nintendo 3DS Handheld System Launches Worldwide This Week
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Get ready to play in 3D! The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that The Simsa" 3 for 3DS will be available for purchase for the Nintendo 3DSa" beginning this week. As a launch title for the Nintendo 3DS, The Sims 3 is in stores March 25th across Europe and Australia and in North America on March 27th.
"Wea™ve created a game for the Nintendo 3DS platform that includes everything players love about The Sims like build and buy mode, Create a Sim and more in order for them to have the richest experience possible in a 3D environment"
aWea™ve created a game for the Nintendo 3DS platform that includes everything players love about The Sims like build and buy mode, Create a Sim and more in order for them to have the richest experience possible in a 3D environment,a said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. aThe Nintendo 3DS system is a highly anticipated launch for players across the globe, and wea™re ecstatic that The Sims 3 will be one of the first games available for people to play.a
From the critically-acclaimed studio behind The Sims 3,The Sims 3 for the 3DS has features created specifically for the Nintendo 3DS system. Fans of The Sims will no doubt have endless hours of fun in a 3D world. Tools such as the facial recognition technology allow players to create a 3D version of themselves or their friends and then place their likeness into the game as playable Sims, characters unique to The Sims. They can change their looks including different hairstyles, facial features, and outfits all using the Nintendo 3DS stylus. Additionally, The Sims 3 will use Nintendoa™s StreetPassa" system that allows anyone to share characters within a range**. For the first time on a handheld system for The Sims 3, players will be able to go visit new areas away from their lot. The zones are areas that give players different destinations to explore like a gym, library and museum and each one has full buildable lots and community features to go along with them.
Karma Powers, new to The Sims 3, enable players to create beauty or be devious with their Simsa™ lives. By tilting their systems, players can be mischievous and cause their Sims challenges or they can watch bags of money fall from the sky that will give their Sims all the material items they could desire. Using the handheld, players will love the ability to either cause a stink storm or release a bevy of butterflies merely by blowing into it.
The Sims 3 is also available for PC, Mac, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, Nintendo DSa", Wiia", iPhone®, iPod touch®, and mobile devices.
The Sims 3 for the Nintendo 3DS was developed by The Sims Studio and has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about The Sims 3 games, please visit [ www.TheSims3.com ]. To download artwork, please visit [ www.info.ea.com ].
* According to NPD data, Chart-track UK, Gfk France, Gfk Spain, Gfk-MCC Germany and EA internal estimate.
** Owners of The Nintendo 3DS must have installed an in/outbox and played The Sims 3 at least once.
About The Sims
The Simsa" franchise, the groundbreaking game series that allows players to create and live a virtual, simulated life on a computer, celebrated its ten year anniversary in 2010 with an impressive more than 125 million units sold since its launch in February 2000. Now translated into 22 different languages and available in 60 different countries, The Sims series has quickly become a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. Since its June 2009 launch, The Sims 3 has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide across multiple platforms and was the #1 best-selling PC title for 2009 in North America and Europe. Fan intensity is evidenced through nearly 250 million downloads of player created content including: The Sims characters, houses, stories and more. The Sims 3 community site, [ www.thesims3.com ], welcomes up to seven million unique visitors monthly, handles more than 240 content downloads every minute and more than 3.5 million uploads have been made to date, including 11 movies each hour. The Sims 3 YouTube Channel is within the top 10 most viewed sponsored channels of all time with more than 45 million video views. Visit The Sims 3 official website to see what the players are creating at [ www.TheSims3.com ] or the official YouTube Channel for The Sims at [ http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSims ]. Join The Sims 3 Facebook or Twitter communities at [ www.facebook.com/thesims3 ] and [ www.twitter.com/thesims3 ].
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSa", EAa", EA Mobilea" and POGOa". In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA's homepage and online game site is [ www.ea.com ]. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at [ http://info.ea.com ].
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, and The Sims are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. aPlayStationa is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS are trademarks of Nintendo. Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.