Arnold K. (Admin)

Press Release Source: Electronic Arts


EA Announces Plans for The Sims Superstar
Thursday February 13, 7:00 am ET
Brace Yourselves! The Sims are Famous!


REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 13, 2003--Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS - News) today announced plans to release this May The Sims(TM) Superstar, a new expansion pack to the top-selling PC game of all time, The Sims(TM). Players can now realize their fantasies of fame and fortune as they pursue the dream of being a Rock Star, Movie Star or a Supermodel and live the lifestyle of a celebrity. All new gameplay, new social interactions and a whole new in-game destination offer players an all access pass to the world of superstardom. In The Sims Superstar, The Sims are ready for their close up.
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"The Sims have lived extreme lives, thrown outrageous parties, gone on hot dates, traveled to vacation destinations and owned pets. Now it's time for them to follow their dreams of making it big," said Jonathan Knight, producer at EA's Maxis(TM) studio. "The Sims Superstar will let players experience the outrageous world of celebrity, Sims style."

For the first time ever, players can follow their Sims to work and witness their pursuit of fame and fortune firsthand. Fledgling Sims start by signing with an agent and shuttling to Studio Town, a new and fully customizable destination that offers television and movie lots, spa locations, recording studios and fabulous fashion facilities. Once there, Sims can schmooze, network and name drop their way to stardom in the movies, music or fashion. Will your Sim be a flash in the pan or a living legend? Players can now track the sizzle of their Sims with an all new fame score.

A new cast of comical characters are available to assist the Sims in their quest for celebrity. A fabulous fashion designer, a mega-hit record producer and a maniacal movie director are available for career critique. A capable butler, a savvy sushi chef, and a soothing masseuse will be on-call to administer to the every whim of a celebrity Sim. Life in the spotlight would not be complete without the glare of the paparazzi, the adoration of groupies, and the annoyance of an obsessed fan or two. This is all part of life in the spotlight in The Sims Superstar.

Sims can become a celeb or just live like one. Fabulous new objects like a skydiving simulator, satellite dish, and a new art and furniture collection can turn an ordinary Sims abode into a magnificent and decadent manse. Sims in need of a day of indulgence and pampering can also enjoy the new day spa, complete with mud treatments, steam baths, Sim massages and an oxygen bar. Domestic staff is also available for hire so manicured Sims won't chap their hands with the drudgeries of household maintenance.

Will your Sim become an icon or fade into the obscurity of bad dinner theater? Will they win a coveted Simmy award or be regulated to personal hygiene commercials? In The Sims Superstar, you are the idol maker.

The Sims franchise celebrated its third anniversary this month. The game skyrocketed to the top of the charts when it began shipping to stores and quickly became a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. The Sims base product was the #1 seller in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Translated into 17 different languages, The Sims has inspired five expansion packs that have all been top sellers. They include The Sims(TM) Livin' Large, The Sims(TM) House Party, The Sims(TM) Hot Date, The Sims(TM) Vacation and The Sims(TM) Unleashed. Combined sales for the franchise have topped 24 million units life-to-date. For more information on The Sims franchise titles, visit http://www.thesims.com

Mr. SunburnMan

You act as though this wasn't expected.

Gabriel013

It's a shame I really hate playing Sims on the PC.

Tosser00

Enough with this expansion pack bullshit. I want a freakin' sequel. The graphics are so bland compared to todays standards for PC games. Scuh-roo you guys at EA!

Sweet Tooth

I like the Sims, but eventually it'll die. There's only so many things you can do. And if they're still releasing Sims games in ten years it'll just be cheap remakes. The craze will die like the Pokemon craze. I have Sims Livin Large and it's cool and all but going to work, come home, eat, sleep can only last so long. It's tough to have a social life too because I have so little time and the guy needs to eat a thousand times a day and pee and then I have like 2 hours of social life and the time goes by SOOO fast that it's hard to have a relationship. Hell it's hard just getting him in a good mood.

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The Benny (Macho)

This sounds pretty cool actually. Yes the franchise is being milked for all it's worth now that EA have recognised that they have a decent game on their hands. All the advertising and the web site and even the game are all now filled with EA's presence, whereas when the game originally shipped EA wouldn't put their name anywhere near it. Now we have as online version, a PS2 version and countless expansion packs, all billed as EA Games rather than Maxis.
But the fact remains that each expansion pack delivers something that fans are asking for; pets, more/larger neighbourhoods, more social interations, dating, vacations, and now the ability to actually go to work. If you look past the dollar signs in the eyes of EA then there's still a quailty developer hidden away there.

Tosser, a sequel right now could potentially kill the Sims. Part of the appeal of the Sims still lies in the ability to customise furniture, skins and so forth and download a wealth of content from the 'net. A sequel would render all of that content obsolete, and a new graphics engine (in full 3D I'd presume) would not only alienate a lot of the artists creating content for the game but it would also shoot the specs up ridiculously high. Even Sims in it's current state pushes the limits of most people's computers.

Sweet Tooth

I do have to agree with Macho. A sequal right now would hurt the series. It wouldn't kill it but it would be just a bad business decision. EA still has people buying the original game and then going out and buying the expansions. A sequal will most likely have mostly everything that the game and its expansion packs has and people will get everything for a $50 price tag. EA would much rather have people dishing out an additional $20 to $30 for an expansion pack to get a little bit more. The profits for that are alot larger than what a sequal would reel in.

__________________
\"Take some Big and some Pac mix em up in a pot sprinkle a little Big L on top, what the f**k do you got? You got the illest and realest killas tied up in a knot, the juggernauts of this rap shit, like it or not\" - Eminem

www.insidegameronline.com Site Administrator, Editor-in-Chief
<img src=\"http://sweettooth.250free.com/anthony.jpg\">