The Sims: Superstar announced

Electronic Arts has today announced that a sixth expansion pack for The Sims is in development. The Sims: Superstar will offer players the chance to turn their sims into celebrities by having them pursue careers as rock stars, movie stars, or supermodels.

In order to achieve celebrity status, characters will need to sign with an agent and then visit a new fully customizable location called Studio Town, which is home to television and movie lots, recording studios, fashion outlets, and spas. Players will now be able to follow their sims to work and assist them with all of the schmoozing and name-dropping that's necessary to make it big in "the business" when dealing with fashion designers, record producers, movie directors, and the like.

"The sims have lived extreme lives, thrown outrageous parties, gone on hot dates, traveled to vacation destinations, and owned pets. Now it's time for them to follow their dreams of making it big," said Jonathan Knight, producer at EA's Maxis studio. "The Sims: Superstar will let players experience the outrageous world of celebrity, Sims style."

Should sims achieve a suitably high fame score, they'll inevitably find themselves in a position to enjoy a more comfortable life than they could have dreamed of in previous expansion packs. The Sims: Superstar will come with just about every luxury service or object that a sim could wish for, including satellite dishes, skydiving simulators, art and furniture collections, steam baths, mud treatments, sim massages, and even an oxygen bar. Players will also be able to hire staff to attend to their sims' every whim, including a butler, domestic staff, a sushi chef, and a masseuse.

Of course, being a celebrity has its downfalls too, and while working hard to maintain their popularity and perhaps even win a coveted Simmy award, sims will have to endure the attentions of the paparazzi, groupies, and perhaps even the occasional obsessed fan.

No release date has been announced for The Sims: Superstar at this time, but we'll bring you more information on the game as soon as it becomes available.