Amaze the Audience with Your Talents as a Magician or Singer in The Sims 3 Showtime

Become the star of the show in The Sims 3 Showtime. Perform tricks and sing your way to fame in Starlight Shores, an all-new world that showcases your Sims’ hidden talents as they go from small town heroes to larger than life performers.

As a magician, your Sim begins their career on the streets performing magic tricks for tips. They’ll visit new venues and meet with the owners to book larger gigs and gain experience. Magicians have unique social interactions that give them the ability to perform small-scale tricks on other Sims such as pulling a coin from an ear and making butterflies and doves magically appear. As magicians level up, they acquire new objects that can be used on-stage. For some magical fun, your Sims can use the Box of Mystery to perform the “swords of destiny” by carefully placing knives through the box without stabbing the Sim inside. Beware the Box of Danger! If a Sim fails at correctly executing their tricks with this object, death may come calling.

Singers are unique in the game as they can accept paying jobs such as performing singing telegrams to gain experience. Singing telegrams are also a social feature, and the types of jobs your Sims will receive will directly correlate to the happenings around town. If a Sim in town has just lost their job, cheer them up. If it’s a Sim’s birthday, sing them a song. Like the other careers, singers can also take their talents to the public performing for tips in parks and local hang-outs.  As singers progress, stage props, costumes and new songs will be unlocked to help them look the part and sing a variety of tunes. Singers will want to make it to the top to star in their very own big venue concert.

In addition, all careers – acrobat, magician and singer –will unlock special objects and outfits directly relating to that career. All outfits can be customised in Create a Sim to match the look of the venue and stage for your Sim’s performance. Also, all careers are able to participate in SimFest – a giant talent show for acrobats, magicians and singers to compete against one another in town. For Sims who particularly love a challenge, a new dual interaction is available in-game for Sims to compete against one another outside of SimFest.

The Sims 3 Showtime is currently available for pre-order*. While supplies last, all pre-orders will be upgraded to the Limited Edition expansion pack which includes an added venue and stage for players to place in their world. This stage is fully customisable, using the in-game backgrounds, lighting, props and special effects.

For more information on The Sims 3 Showtime, please visit www.thesims.com/showtime, like the game on Facebook and follow the game on Twitter

*Conditions and restrictions apply. See http://store.origin.com/store/eaemea/en_GB/DisplayProductDetailsPage/ThemeID.850300/productID.241940500 for details.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., December 6, 2011 – Here is your chance to become a star and tell the story of your journey! Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that The Sims™ 3 Showtime Expansion pack*** for PC/Mac is in development and will launch worldwide in March 2012. The latest expansion pack from The Sims Studio allows players to live the rags to riches story with their Sims and share these experiences with their friends. Using new and innovative social features such as individual in-game news feeds and live updates, players are connected to each other like never before.

“The Sims 3 Showtime is a huge step forward for The Sims franchise,” explains Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. “For the first time, we are introducing social features that allow you to send your Sims to a friend’s game, perform at their venue in front of their Sims where you both will earn rewards, and capture and share these in-game moments of your rise to fame.”

The Sims 3 Showtime allows players to connect and share with their friends and fellow fans of The Sims without ever leaving the game. Players will venture into a new world and live the dream as singers, acrobats, magicians and DJs. Using the all-new SimPort feature, players can send their Sim into a friend’s game to perform in their world, book gigs in their friends’ town, go on tour, and be reviewed. Along the way, players can earn rewards for achieving goals and accomplishing special challenges that can be tracked and shared via in-game social wall posts. Players have the opportunity to post their Sims’ successes, share gameplay techniques, create wishlists and send gifts, search for new friends and share memories through their in-game news feeds and as e-cards.

Players who enjoy building can customise their Sims’ stages using props and special effects to create unique venues such as a swanky concert hall, a massive stadium or an indie club. How the stage is built will directly influence a player’s Sim’s performance and career progression. For players who love a challenge, they can earn in-game rewards and accomplish goals such as performing a legendary show in a high-level venue. For players who enjoy experimenting, an endless amount of gameplay opportunities and choices within the game provide a vast array of situations for cause-and-effect play and hilarity to ensue.

The Sims 3 Showtime is currently available for pre-order****. Those who pre-order now will be automatically upgraded to a special Limited Edition version, which features the Ultimate Stage venue. Players can place this fully customisable venue in their world and will be able to use it as an additional stage for their Sims to perform on, complete with in-game props, backgrounds, lights and special effects. This bonus venue is available through pre-order and while supplies last.

For more information, please visit http://thesims.com/en_gb/the-sims-showtime, like the game on Facebook or follow us on Twitter®. For more information on The Sims 3, please visit http://www.thesims3.com/.

*In North America and Europe according to NPD data, Chart-track, Gfk France, Gfk Spain, Gfk-MCC Germany and EA internal estimate.
**While supplies last.
***Requires The Sims 3 for PC/Mac to play.
****Conditions and restrictions apply. See http://store.origin.com/store/eaemea/en_GB/pd/productID.241940500?sourceid=ea5068 for details.

About The Sims
The Sims™ franchise, the groundbreaking game series that allows players to create and live a virtual, simulated life on a computer, celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2010 and has sold more than 140 million units since its launch in February 2000. Now translated into 20 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 more than 300 million downloads of player-created content including: The Sims characters, houses, stories and more. The Sims 3 community site, www.thesims3.com, welcomes more than five million unique visitors monthly, handles more than 100 content downloads every minute and more than 3.5 million uploads to date. In addition, The Sims 3 has a broad range of community channels reaching millions of fans daily. The Sims 3 YouTube Channel videos have been viewed more than 63 million times and The Sims 3 Facebook and Twitter pages have a combined fan base of more than 10 million. 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 and Twitter communities to see what fans have to say about the game at www.facebook.com/thesims3 and www.twitter.com/thesims3. The Sims 3 is available for PC, Mac, iPhone®, iPod touch®, mobile devices, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, Wii™ and Nintendo 3DS™.  In August, 2011, The Sims Social browser-based game launched on Facebook and within one month garnered an impressive 50M monthly active users and secured the #2 position on Appdata’s chart of top Facebook games. To play The Sims Social, visit www.facebook.com/TheSimsSocial.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company’s game franchises are offered as both packaged goods products and online services delivered through Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield, and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

The Sims, The Sims Social and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd.  John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS are trademarks of Nintendo. 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 owner.

New Stuff Pack Offers All-New Luxurious and Romantic Goods for Home Furnishings, Apparel, Hair and More

Add some sizzle to your Sim’s home life! The Sims 3 just got hotter with the announcement of the latest stuff pack available this January. The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff features luxurious master bedroom and bath furnishings and décor, plus romantic intimate wear for Sims to change into. Create the ultimate master suite by selecting from dozens of options including a canopied four-poster bed, a contemporary vanity set and a lavish tub. Complete the suite by adding the perfect finishing touches such as candles, roses and decorative vases. New cute and saucy apparel is also available for your Sims and will be perfect for a romantic evening or an indulgent night of relaxation. In addition, flirty hairstyles are included to renew your Sim’s look completely or revamp their style for one special night only.

Whether you are looking for a spontaneous rendezvous, an in-home spa experience or a lifestyle of comfort and tranquility for your Sim, you are sure to find it all in The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff pack.

The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff pack is currently available for pre-order and will be on shelves January 26, 2012 for the PC/Mac. For more information, please visit www.thesims3.com.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Let the fur fly! Will you have a pet or be a pet? Now you can play both ways as pets are Sims too! Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced The Sims™ 3 Pets is now available in North America on PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, Nintendo 3DS™ and as an Expansion Pack on the PC/ Mac*. Developed by the award-winning team at The Sims Studio, The Sims 3 Pets gives players the ability to play as a pet for the first time in franchise history and see The Sims world through their eyes.

Across all platforms, players will be able to use the robust Create a Pet tool to customize dozens of breeds of cats and dogs. On the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC/Mac, players are able to design their pet from their coats, colors and body shapes, and even down to their snouts and age. Players can also choose from a variety of unique personality traits such as friendly, hyper, clueless and piggy, offering limitless opportunities for fans to create the pets of their dreams or nightmares.

“Pets have always been the top requested theme from our players, and we are delivering a deep, rich experience in The Sims 3 Pets for our fans to enjoy,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. “From the moment a player starts the game, they’ll revel in the opportunities to recreate their childhood pet, train their dog to be the most desirable or despicable animal in the neighborhood, share their favorite pet on The Sims 3 Exchange or witness the special lasting relationships their Sims build with their pets. The Sims 3 Pets is about the moments that are unique to the player who lives them.”

The Sims 3 Pets also features gameplay experiences specific to each platform. Exclusive to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, players will explore all new venues and embark on mysteries in the New England-style town of Sugar Maple Coast. Karma Powers return to the console games and give players the ability to bestow wealth on their Sim or completely uproot their lives. New Karma Powers include: Transmogrify that allows a Sim, cat or dog to turn into a different species; Meteor Strike that drops space rocks from the sky; Feral Possession which turns players’ pets into furry terrors; and more. Exclusive to the Xbox 360, players who are Kinect-enabled can use voice commands to quickly jump between areas of Create a Sim and live mode to change outfits, fulfill the needs of both their Sims and pets and more.

In The Sims 3 Pets PC/Mac Expansion Pack, players are able to create and adopt dogs, cats and, another first for the franchise, horses. Fans are able to take their Sims and their pets on wild adventures while exploring the new world with animal-specific venues and environments such as the dog park, cat jungle or horse stables. Another exclusive to the PC/Mac version, players will be able to search through their world for the elusive unicorn. The magical unicorn can be added to a player’s household after they’ve built up the relationship enough. Unicorns offer fun opportunities to play with life by being able to bless other Sims, teleport around the world and even spark fires. Other minor pets that Sims can own and interact with, but are not fully controllable, include birds, rodents, lizards, turtles and snakes.

Unique to the Nintendo 3DS version of The Sims 3 Pets, players can now create, customize and control a household full of pets without any human Sims. In addition, players will be able to save up to three separate games, each with its own household of three playable Sims. Through gameplay, players can add a fourth member to their household. The Sims 3 Pets on Nintendo 3DS lets fans use Play Coins collected from the Nintendo’s 3DS pedometer feature to spend as Karma Power points. Additionally, players will be able to use Nintendo’s StreetPass™ function to share their Sims and pets with other Nintendo 3DS users in near vicinity.

The Sims 3 Pets is rated “T” for Teen, with an MSRP of $49.99 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and $39.99 on Nintendo 3DS and PC/Mac.

The Sims 3 Plus Pets is also available on PC/Mac and bundles The Sims 3 base game and The Sims 3 Pets Expansion Pack with an MSRP of $49.99.

For more information, visit http://www.thesims3.com/content/en_US/promo/pets/pets.htm, like the game on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. For more information on The Sims 3, visit http://www.thesims3.com/.

*Requires The Sims 3 for PC/Mac to play.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., August 30, 2011 – Gather your doubloons. The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that The Sims Medieval™: Pirates and Nobles is now available across Europe. The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles is an adventure pack to The Sims Medieval*, a new series that places the popular simulated characters from The Sims into the Middle Ages and lets players create heroes, venture on quests and control a kingdom. The adventure pack includes a new storyline, additional quests and one new Kingdom Ambition for players to embark on in their medieval kingdoms.

“We set out to take advantage of the great questing feature of the base game and with The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles tell an epic story complete with adventure, drama romance, a royal wedding, a courtroom scene and more ,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. “It’s a kind of storytelling that you won’t see in any other Sims game. On top of that we added some great new features, including treasure hunting, interrogation, and pet parrots and falcons.”

Players can unleash their inner swash-buckling pirate or regal noble by creating a new Hero Sim or customizing their existing medieval Sim with new clothing and accessories. They begin the epic adventure by choosing a side – pirate or noble – and then the adventure is up to them for how it plays out. They can battle an enemy in a sword fight or explore the exciting new gameplay feature of treasure hunting. Players will have to find hidden objects and search for desirable rewards that will benefit their Sim’s quests. Additionally, players embark on exhilarating quests such as finding the fountain of youth, protecting the kingdom from an evil sorcerer, or engaging in a forbidden love affair. Once the story is finished, they can replay the story choosing different quests and see what ending they’ll get the next time around.

New to the adventure pack, The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles bring birds in a variety of colours and species into the medieval world as lovable, or not so lovable, sidekicks. Players can own a falcon or parrot that they can use to hunt, train, feed, or even send on missions. If one finds that they are unhappy with a rival, parrots can also be sent to do some dirty work and attack the Sim for them. Another useful gameplay feature is the interrogation chair. Players who are looking for more information out of a fellow Sim will find the new item quite useful. The interrogation chair can be used to persuade their enemies to spill their deepest secrets and help players move forward in their quests and Kingdom Ambition. With The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles, the new adventures to explore are endless.

The Sims Medieval is rated 12 by PEGI. To download artwork, please visit www.info.ea.com. For more information about The Sims Medieval please visit www.info.ea.com, or the official website at www.piratesandnobles.com.

*Requires The Sims Medieval for PC/Mac to play