The Sims 3 Coming to Consoles and Handhelds

When Electronic Arts rolled out the The Sims 3 for PCs and Mac in mid-2009, the company says it was the biggest PC game launch in the company’s history…and NPD really did find it the top-selling PC game of the year. Now, EA has announced it is extending The Sims 3 universe to game consoles, including the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3—and, not to be left out, the Nintendo DS will also get its own version. The Sims franchise has been going for almost 10 years, and has proved to have enduring popularity as players express their own creativity, develop their characters, and engage with others in a virtual world.

“We’re bringing players the best console and handheld game for The Sims franchise to date and are excited to offer a unique experience for all types of gamers on their platform of choice,” said EA executive producer Sam Player, in a statement.

Console versions of the game will have features unique to each platform. In the Wii version players will be treated to a new beach-front town, as well as be able to participate in “adventure quests” to discover mysteries of the town, as well as challenge each other for rewards in “Life Moments.” The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions will be able to share their own content with other players from around the world without leaving the game and be able to share achievements via Facebook. Players on all console platforms will also be able to unlock “Karma Powers” to beef up—or mess with—their Sims…although they should be aware that karma has a way of coming back around in unexpected ways. On the Nintendo DS, players will be able to build their Sims’ houses and fully customize their environments and appearance, as well as control multiple Sims in a family.

EA hasn’t announced pricing or specific availability dates, saying only that the console and handheld versions will ship “this fall.”

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