We would like to announce that we are getting many reports that the patch is causing problems for some of our users. We thoroughly tested the patch before we released this to the community and found it to solve many previously reported issues. We are looking into the problems posted and are listening to your concerns. We will let you know within a few days if we think this is something we can help you fix either with an update to the patch or directions on how to avoid the problems you are experiencing.
Sims News
24 Jan 2002 - 22:10
24 Jan 2002 - 22:10
We would like to announce that we are getting many reports that the patch is causing problems for some of our users. We thoroughly tested the patch before we released this to the community and found it to solve many previously reported issues. We are looking into the problems posted and are listening to your concerns. We will let you know within a few days if we think this is something we can help you fix either with an update to the patch or directions on how to avoid the problems you are experiencing.
24 Jan 2002 - 22:00
The new PC title from legendary game designer Sid Meier and Maxis lets players build their very own golf resort empire.
EA ships Sid Meier's SimGolf
The new PC title from legendary game designer Sid Meier and Maxis lets players build their very own golf resort empire
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., January 23, 2002 - Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) today announced the release of Sid Meier's SimGolf™. From legendary game designer Sid Meier, and his team at Firaxis Games, and Maxis™, the creators of the hit PC games The Sims™ and SimCity™, Sid Meier's SimGolf puts players in charge of their very own golf resorts. As course designer, CEO and resident pro, players are challenged to grow a business from a small, public pitch-and-putt to a global network of five-star resorts.
"I'm thrilled with SimGolf. In all my years of making games, SimGolf has been the most fun to create," said Sid Meier, Chairman and Director of Creative Development at Firaxis Games and creator of such PC hits as Railroad Tycoon, Sid Meier's Civilization and Sid Meier's Gettysburg! "In SimGolf we allow players to create their own paths and to choose their own style of play. You can build an endless variety of courses, customize your golfers, create a world class pro, play your course and hold tournaments at your resort. The fun goes on and on! We hope gamers around the world will have as much fun playing SimGolf as we did making it."
Create the world's most beautiful, challenging and outrageous golf courses in environments that include sunny desert, lush tropics, scenic woodlands, and historic Scottish links. Players can build the course of their dreams by constructing rolling fairways, challenging greens, strategically placed water hazards and annoying sand traps.
Everything from ball washers and pro shops to luxury hotels and casinos are available for resort development. Players can choose from over a dozen different landmarks to further personalize the grounds. As the resort facilities are upgraded and enhanced, guests are happier on the course and celebrities are enticed to buy homes at the resort.
Once the course is designed, players can create their own SimGolf pro and play a round. All SimGolfers are fully customizable, with an array of outfits and a variety of personality types to choose from. Players also have the ability to dabble in the personal lives of their members with fully customizable dialogue. Listen to their sagas unfold as they birdie, par and bogey over eighteen holes. The outcome of the guests' individual stories depends greatly on the success of the individual hole and course.
Play the course and fine-tune the skills of the golf professional to help him or her become the leader of the SimGolf Association (SGA). Players can then host and play in major tournaments for big cash prizes that can be used to upgrade their resort conglomerate.
The ability to share courses and stories with other SimGolf players from around the world is available at http://simgolf.ea.com. From ground breaking to par breaking, the ultimate golf fantasies are in your hands with Sid Meier's SimGolf.
Sid Meier's SimGolf requires Windows® 95 or greater and a 300 MHz Intel Pentium II or an AMD K6-2 processor or greater, a 8 MB video card with DirectX 8.0 compatible driver and a DirectX 8.0 compatible sound card. Sid Meier's SimGolf is available in stores now for a suggested retail price of US $39.99 or by direct order from the EA StoreSM at http://www.ea.com or by calling 877-EA GAMES (1- 877- 324-2637). It carries an ESRB rating of "E" for everyone.
Firaxis Games is headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland. As Firaxis' Chairman and Director of Creative Development, Sid Meier has been honored with virtually every major award in the gaming industry and in 1999 and was the second person ever to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science's Hall of Fame. For more information about Firaxis visit http://www.firaxis.com.
Maxis, based in Walnut Creek, California, is EA's game development studio best known for The Sims and SimCity line of games. The Sims has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and was North America's top selling PC game of 2000 and 2001.
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.3 billion for fiscal 2001. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA SPORTS BIG™, EA GAMES™ and EA.COMSM. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.info.ea.com.
Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, EA GAMES, The Sims, SimCity, SimGolf, and Maxis are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA.COM is a service mark of EA.com Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
17 Jan 2002 - 22:20
The topic for this SimDay is, where would you like to take your Sims for a vacation? Please post on the BBS in the Suggest a Topic Section. Our Producers are eager to hear what you have in store for the Sims!
17 Jan 2002 - 22:20
The topic for this SimDay is, where would you like to take your Sims for a vacation? Please post on the BBS in the Suggest a Topic Section. Our Producers are eager to hear what you have in store for the Sims!
17 Jan 2002 - 22:10
TVGuide.com has an article about TheSims and Hot Date. The article talks about how Sims interact and mentions some fansites.
17 Jan 2002 - 22:10
TVGuide.com has an article about TheSims and Hot Date. The article talks about how Sims interact and mentions some fansites.
17 Jan 2002 - 22:00
GameSpot has an article about TheSims phenomena and a poll that lets you vote on how many expansion packs will be made for TheSims. Cast your vote today!
The Sims: Moon Colony 7
While rumors had been flying since before the holidays, Maxis recently confirmed that it is working on a new expansion pack for The Sims, its unnervingly popular virtual-life game. The expansion is reportedly The Sims: Vacation, and if the reports are correct, it will let players take their little computer people on vacation to the mountains, the beach, or the wilderness. In fact, there may very well be more information available about the expansion by the time this article is posted.
The news about this new expansion leads me to wonder how long this eerie winning streak will continue. Maxis struck gold when it created The Sims, which has remained almost continuously among the best-selling PC games since its release in early 2000. Electronic Arts has skillfully kept the game alive by releasing a series--three so far, soon to be four--of expansion packs that give Sims players more of what they crave.
There is no real parallel to The Sims in terms of gameplay, but in terms of popularity, one can look to other successful games like Diablo II or Age of Empires II to see how other publishers have leveraged the popularity of their games. Both games sold extremely well, and both spawned successful expansion packs. But can you imagine either game getting three more expansions?
You can't blame EA--new Sims expansions are money in the bank. Each new expansion boosts sales of the original game, which in turn builds the potential market for new expansions. At this point, it seems like the game can't possibly keep selling so well, since everyone who plays PC games must already have it. And yet there it is, week after week, placing in the top five best-selling games. Could people who don't play games be buying it? If so, what do they use it for?
Since The Sims itself appeals to a broader, less hard-core audience than that of many other popular games, Sims fans don't demand huge performance improvements that would probably require a new game engine--and therefore, a full sequel. Instead, they're content with just getting more game content. Parties and dates are fun, but I hope that Maxis gets a little more adventurous with its expansions--The Sims: Medieval Dungeon? The Sims: Alien Invasion? The possibilities are endless.
When will Simsmania die down? Probably only when something better, and with a similarly broad appeal, comes along. One thing is for sure, though--EA will continue to produce expansion packs for the game as long as they continue to sell. I'm all for it. Every superhit like The Sims: Hot Date helps fund the development and distribution not only of future Sims expansions, but also of unrelated games that may appeal to players not even interested in The Sims. And unlike terrible games that sell well, or even mediocre games that sell well, The Sims is a superb game that deserves to sell as well as it has. Sims-related sales are healthy not only for EA, but also for the industry as a whole, since the game's widespread appeal shows once again that computer games aren't just for computer gamers anymore, but also for "normal" people. And with any luck, The Sims Online will show that online games are for normal people too.
10 Jan 2002 - 22:30
Brace Yourselves! The Sims are Going on Vacation!
Go To News, or click read more to view the press release on our website.
EA Announces Plans For The Sims Vacation
Brace Yourselves! The Sims are Going on Vacation!3m>
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., January 10, 2002 - Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) today announced plans to release this Spring The Sims™ Vacation, a new add-on disk to the top-selling PC game of 2000 & 2001, The Sims™. The Sims and their families have been in overdrive with all the bustle of the holidays and the magic of Livin' Large, the parties of House Party and the social obligations of Hot Date. They need a break and The Sims Vacation provides the perfect opportunity to give them a little rest and relaxation on a fun-filled vacation island!
"The Sims Hot Date allowed you to take an individual Sim out of the house and on a downtown rendezvous," said Tim LeTourneau, Producer at EA's Maxis™ studio. "With The Sims Vacation, you can take your whole Sim household to a fabulous island for a Sims-style holiday."
Players can help their Sims escape the grind of their everyday lives by sending them to this new and fully customizable island destination that offers a snowy alpine setting, a Riviera-style beach and a forest campground. Beach volleyball, snowboarding, fishing or hunting for hidden treasure are just a few of the things that Sims can do at this unique resort location. All-new social interactions and over 120 new objects will have Sim vacationers entertained from dusk until dawn.
A comical cast of characters is available to cater to the Sims during their island-getaway. The wacky resort staff is there day and night to see to the Sims every need. A troupe of costumed performers is also on hand to entertain the kids. But beware of the Pickpocket, who may relieve them of some of their vacation cash. Errant children or a pilfered purse can bring a pre-mature end to the Sims' island stay.
A Sim vacation would not be complete without that special dust-collector to remind them of the whole experience. Souvenirs of all types can be bought, caught, won and collected. Sims can buy a coconut monkey in one of the gift shops, win a stuffed penguin at a carnival game, collect arrowheads and lava idols or catch an aggravating case of poison ivy or Montezuma's revenge. The Sims will have the time of their lives with The Sims Vacation.
The Sims' unparalleled success has already inspired the creation of three add-on packs, The Sims Livin' Large which shipped in September 2000, The Sims House Party which shipped April 2001 and The Sims Hot Date which shipped November 2001. The Sims Livin' Large allows players to put their simulated families from The Sims into new extreme situations and settings, The Sims House Party gives players the chance to host outrageous parties for their Sims and in The Sims Hot Date, for the first time ever Sims are able to leave their homes and visit an all new downtown area that gives them a place for a romantic rendezvous or to just hang out with a friend.
The Sims, the wildly popular game that allows players to create a neighborhood of simulated people known as "Sims" and control their lives, skyrocketed to the top of the charts when it began shipping to stores in February 2000. Translated into 13 different languages, The Sims has quickly become a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. It was the best selling PC game of 2000 and year to date (Jan.-Nov.) 2001 according to NPDTechworld. Combined sales for The Sims, The Sims Livin' Large, The Sims House Party and The Sims Hot Date total 11 million units life-to-date. For more information on The Sims, The Sims Livin' Large, The Sims House Party, and The Sims Hot Date visit http://www.thesims.com.
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.3 billion for fiscal 2001. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA GAMES™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and EA.COMSM. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.info.ea.com.
Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, EA GAMES, EA SPORTS BIG, Maxis and The Sims are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA.COM is a service mark of EA.com Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
10 Jan 2002 - 22:30
Brace Yourselves! The Sims are Going on Vacation!
Go To News, or click read more to view the press release on our website.
EA Announces Plans For The Sims Vacation
Brace Yourselves! The Sims are Going on Vacation!3m>
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., January 10, 2002 - Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) today announced plans to release this Spring The Sims™ Vacation, a new add-on disk to the top-selling PC game of 2000 & 2001, The Sims™. The Sims and their families have been in overdrive with all the bustle of the holidays and the magic of Livin' Large, the parties of House Party and the social obligations of Hot Date. They need a break and The Sims Vacation provides the perfect opportunity to give them a little rest and relaxation on a fun-filled vacation island!
"The Sims Hot Date allowed you to take an individual Sim out of the house and on a downtown rendezvous," said Tim LeTourneau, Producer at EA's Maxis™ studio. "With The Sims Vacation, you can take your whole Sim household to a fabulous island for a Sims-style holiday."
Players can help their Sims escape the grind of their everyday lives by sending them to this new and fully customizable island destination that offers a snowy alpine setting, a Riviera-style beach and a forest campground. Beach volleyball, snowboarding, fishing or hunting for hidden treasure are just a few of the things that Sims can do at this unique resort location. All-new social interactions and over 120 new objects will have Sim vacationers entertained from dusk until dawn.
A comical cast of characters is available to cater to the Sims during their island-getaway. The wacky resort staff is there day and night to see to the Sims every need. A troupe of costumed performers is also on hand to entertain the kids. But beware of the Pickpocket, who may relieve them of some of their vacation cash. Errant children or a pilfered purse can bring a pre-mature end to the Sims' island stay.
A Sim vacation would not be complete without that special dust-collector to remind them of the whole experience. Souvenirs of all types can be bought, caught, won and collected. Sims can buy a coconut monkey in one of the gift shops, win a stuffed penguin at a carnival game, collect arrowheads and lava idols or catch an aggravating case of poison ivy or Montezuma's revenge. The Sims will have the time of their lives with The Sims Vacation.
The Sims' unparalleled success has already inspired the creation of three add-on packs, The Sims Livin' Large which shipped in September 2000, The Sims House Party which shipped April 2001 and The Sims Hot Date which shipped November 2001. The Sims Livin' Large allows players to put their simulated families from The Sims into new extreme situations and settings, The Sims House Party gives players the chance to host outrageous parties for their Sims and in The Sims Hot Date, for the first time ever Sims are able to leave their homes and visit an all new downtown area that gives them a place for a romantic rendezvous or to just hang out with a friend.
The Sims, the wildly popular game that allows players to create a neighborhood of simulated people known as "Sims" and control their lives, skyrocketed to the top of the charts when it began shipping to stores in February 2000. Translated into 13 different languages, The Sims has quickly become a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. It was the best selling PC game of 2000 and year to date (Jan.-Nov.) 2001 according to NPDTechworld. Combined sales for The Sims, The Sims Livin' Large, The Sims House Party and The Sims Hot Date total 11 million units life-to-date. For more information on The Sims, The Sims Livin' Large, The Sims House Party, and The Sims Hot Date visit http://www.thesims.com.
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.3 billion for fiscal 2001. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA GAMES™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and EA.COMSM. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.info.ea.com.
Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, EA GAMES, EA SPORTS BIG, Maxis and The Sims are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA.COM is a service mark of EA.com Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.