PlayStation Sims
EA in franchise milking shocker
Another story that got lost in the E3 rush was EA's unveiling of The Sims on the PlayStation 2. The announcement that the best-selling PC game of all time is being brought to the world's most popular console by its biggest third party publisher is only surprising in that it took so long to happen. Work is already underway at Maxis on putting right this oversight though, with the game expected to ship towards the end of the year. Rather than simply porting the game over to Sony's console, Maxis and Texan developers Edge of Reality are giving The Sims a 3D make-over and adding a new two player mode to allow you to battle it out with your mates for popularity points. Obviously the interface has been given an overhaul to make it better suit a gamepad, but the game has also been given a more structured campaign mode in addition to the traditional freeform gameplay of the original. Exclusive new characters, artwork and items have been added to spice things up, including stylish hats and an .. er .. strip poker game. Don't ask. If the success of the multi-million selling PC version is anything to go by, expect The Sims to be completely dominating the PlayStation 2 charts in the run up to the all-important festive season this year. Related Feature - Sim Best Seller