E3 2002: EA announces The Sims for PS2

EA officially revealed today that it will publish a PS2 version of The Sims, the ultrapopular PC life simulation created by renowned designer Will Wright. According to the publisher, the PS2 version will distinguish itself from its PC predecessors with a level-based design, full 3D graphics, and a two-player mode. The controls are also reported to have undergone an overhaul to make them more suitable to a console setup.

The game's structure will be much more defined in the upcoming PS2 version, according to EA. Players will start out with control of a single sim, whom they will have to guide through "life's important moments." Each of these "moments" will presumably be discrete levels, completion of which will allow players to move on up, gaining them access to bigger houses, fancier stuff, and access to new objectives. EA mentioned several specific game elements unique to the PS2: a teppanyaki table for players to spruce up their homes, a bug zapper for their yards and lawns, and a strip-poker minigame for their entertainment. And like their PC counterparts, sims in the PS2 game will be highly customizable in regard to their appearance. Hairstyles, clothing, and more can be chosen by players, and the publisher is promising an enormous number of options in these areas.

The game's multiplayer features were also revealed in a basic form. Players will be able to save their homes to memory cards and load them to other players' games to engage in multiplayer games. Nothing specific was cited by the publisher, but it did make passing mention of a game element that it is calling "popularity points."

The PS2 iteration of The Sims is currently undergoing simultaneous development at Maxis and Edge of Reality. The game will be on display at E3 later this week, so stay tuned for more information soon.