Sims 2 coming to consoles, handhelds, and mobiles

It was just a matter of time. With 4.5 million copies of The Sims 2 sold and its first expansion pack, University, topping the charts, Electronic Arts has shocked no one by revealing it will expand the franchise beyond PCs.

In a short statement sent out this morning, the monolithic publisher announced its plans to bring The Sims 2 to consoles, handhelds, and mobile phones. Specifically, the game is in development for the DS, PSP, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, and unspecified mobile phones. No next-generation platforms were mentioned in EA's statement.

The Sims 2 will be the fourth Sims game to venture outside the PC box. In early 2003, a port of the original The Sims arrived on the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. That fall, The Sims: Bustin' Out was released for the PS2, Xbox, N-Gage, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance. The following year, a hipster spin-off of the series, The Urbz: Sims in the City, shipped for the DS, GBA, PS2, Xbox, and GameCube.

Like the PC version, The Sims 2 is being developed by EA's internal Maxis studio. Although it will share the same basic concept as its PC sibling--that is, to live a virtual life-- the console versions will let players "take direct control of their sim without having to use their cursor," according to EA. The publisher also promised that while they will ship alongside their console counterparts, the portable and mobile versions of The Sims 2 would have "unique storylines."

All non-PC versions of The Sims 2 will ship in "fall 2005," just in time for the all-important holiday shopping season. For more on the PC version of The Sims 2, read the full review.