EA to launch 'Sims 3' on June 2

EA's 'The Sims 3' is scheduled for a June 2 release on the PC. Versions for the Mac, iPhone and iPod Touch will come later in the summer.

(Credit: Electronic Arts)

Electronic Arts said on Tuesday that The Sims 3, the third full iteration of one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, will hit store shelves on June 2.

The game will be released for PCs first, and versions for the Mac, iPhone, and iPod Touch should come later in the summer, EA said.

The original version of The Sims, which launched in 2000, quickly became the best-selling PC game of all time. In the years since, the franchise has surpassed 100 million total units sold, counting The Sims 2 and all of the expansions for both full iterations.

Originally developed by legendary game designer Will Wright's Maxis studio--which is now focused on Spore--The Sims has since become its own division within EA. As such, it is run out of the company's Redwood Shores, Calif., headquarters, while Maxis is based in Emeryville, Calif.

On Tuesday, EA also announced its third-quarter earnings and said it would be laying off about 1,100 employees--about 11 percent of its total staff--and closing 12 facilities worldwide.

[Seanathome]

I think it's great... mostly because it gives me more time to save up for a new computer. :P

[timber2005]

You'll need it too. Sims 2 seemed to use every ounce of power from a computer... can't imagine that 3 won't.

[Adgurl01]

That's the first thing I thought too, when I saw the announcement. Now I have to decide...laptop or desktop? Hmmmm

[malynj]

The article didn't mention that there was a mid-February ship date that some retailers were aware of. Buy.com shows a pre-order for shipping on the 17th of February still, as of 5pm Central. EA's own pre-sales of the collector's edition also had wording about downloading certain extras between late February and a date in April, which you can't really download that extra content if you don't have the game and download code yet.

[DrtyDogg]

Any word on DRM?

[chrisfrary]

1 install per copy, 4 different protections and a calling home feature that uses half your bandwidth lol

[Dalkorian]

None if you DL a cracked version off TPB.
Aaarrrgh!

[Inconnux]

if (Securom == True) no_sale_in_my_house;

[i_am_still_wade]

Agreed. Maybe I'll get it on Steam, which has the most transparent DRM possible.

[Firehazel]

hey my birthday! but i dont care too much for SIMs. It's fun and all but Im no hard core fan.

[upuaut]

I stopped following the SIMs @ sim city.

[sanenazok]

EA lost me as a customer after Sim City 4 was followed up by Societies. Duh what a waste, never mind the Spore DRM fiasco. Thanks, but no thanks.

[mementh]

agreed here..
sim city = city
the sims = what?

they tried to blend the two together too much.

I lost interests in "the sims" because all i kept seeing was "new" stuff coming out.. new version new abilities.. new clothes.
and i think.. why?
they don't do anything new or special. version 2's only enhancement was more graphics/better graphics maybe some gameplay options and the body type/face type.

What are they going to do? just expand on that really.. this is really Sims 2: "The last version till we decide that you should buy a new version so we can have solid diamond toilets because our solid gold ones are clogged with your money."

ugh.

[Adgurl01]

The move from Sims 1 to Sims 2 was significant. And the transition to Sims 3 will be equally as significant.

Sims 2 gave us more than just good graphics and clothes -- it allowed for the players to play the GENERATION game and build generation of families, which in my opinion was the coolest thing. I love having my Sims being grandparents and nieces, cousins, etc and watching the family tree grow and see who was related to who.

Now with Sims 3, it will go a step further with the abilities to enhance those generational relationships further by seamlessly visiting Sims and encountering them outside the home.

I can't wait to see all the interactions this game will unleased on us! :-)

[Coffeemann]

*Regarding copy-protection*

Did they learn nothing from the Spore game incident? That game had more copy protection on it than five of the last games I have bought combined and it was pirated on the pirate bay within 13 hours of the release! Copy protection only hurts/harasses honest people. Get a clue like the music industry, strip the DRM crap, we will be glad to pay a little more for something that just works!

*Regarding the release date*

Don't you just love how they just list a new date without making any mention of the FAILURE to release it on February 20th like everyone has reported for the last 6 months!

[MPB]

I can't wait for it to come out for the iPhone.

[shellcodes_coder]

Am sure it's will come with that DRM virus, just say no to EA crap

[GothardJ]

another EA game, another EA disappointment

[mab1376]

Many other sites says the release date is 2/20/09 not 6/2/09

[geek_grrl]

They ALWAYS do this. There *was* a release date of Feb 20th. As usual, EA, who hasn't made a release date yet, pushed the date back. Don't be surprised if it gets adjusted again in late May to sometime in August.

[renGek]

With all the evil DRMs that they have done and tried not to tell people about it, all of their near future releases should take the fall for it. Good way of punishing companies who do stupid things to formerly loyal customers. They didn't learn from sony but maybe other companies will learn from EA.

[SugarAngel2]

omg i was so excited for the sims 3 to come out in february but now its coming out in june???!!!!!!! I AM SO MAD!!!!!!

All I know is I hate getting games that are buggy. If putting off the release date makes it a better game then I can wait.

[fizzticky]

So i bought a new computer for christmas so that i could play the sims 3

i havent installed the sims 2 because i wanted to save space for the sims 3

i was requesting off feb 20th from work so that i could play the sims 3

AND THEY PUSHED BACK THE FING RELEASE DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG! OMG! OMG! this sucks. so now i guess ill just continue to wait.

[sunnyroux]

I AM SO MAD THEY CHANGED THE DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I preordered the game and wanted it on the 20th but NOW its not going to come out for 4 MORE MONTHS!

[eternalrue]

arg. this is so pissing me off. like i've made a count down and THOUGHT that it's on feb20 and now it's on june. OMG. it really left me hanging.huhu.

[aloleng]

how about those guys who already pre-ordered the sims 3? are they gonna receive it on the 20th of feb? or those will be canceled as well?

[littlerayray77]

THIS IS COMPLETE BULL!!! I FEEL STUPID PRE ORDERING IT ALREADY. THEY OBVIOUSLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A RELEASE DATE. DON'T THEY REALIZE PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR THIS CRAP TO COME OUT FEB 20 LIKE THEY SAID? I AM SO PISSED....