Electronic Arts and Maxis have over their set of expansion packs for The Sims 3, attempted to integrate community into the new feature additions of each pack – from The Sims 3 Ambitions which threw in careers you could undertake at different Sims homes and The Sims 3 Showtime which in part replicated The Sims Superstar and allowed you to undertake three forms of celebrity jobs to put on community performances and so forth. The first Seasons expansion pack was in The Sims 2, and proved to be a rather disappointing pack overall which just added a few new items and the different seasons. Today, EA Games announced that they would be releasing The Sims 3 Seasons on the 16th November 2012 – surprising in part because it is only a little more than two months after the launch of The Sims 3 Supernatural…. but also surprising because it actually looks like they will have some great new content for it.
Ryan Vaughan | Producer of The Sims 3
The Sims 3 Seasons offers players not only the opportunity to interact with weather, but also the ability to really get into the mood of each season and tell meaningful stories with their Sims. Since the launch of The Sims 3, Seasons has been one of the most highly-requested themes by our players. The seasonal changes in this game offer incredible realism, simulating nature in a way that is unprecedented for The Sims.
For the first time in The Sims PC/Mac franchise, players can take their Sims for a swim in the ocean, exploring a previously unreachable part of the world as they cool down on a hot summer day or take the polar bear plunge by venturing into wintry waters. Sims can also build skills by scoring a winning goal during a soccer shoot-out or catching some air on the half pipe during a snowboarding session.Whether taking a plunge from the diving board, setting off dazzling fireworks, carving a jack-o’-lantern or building an intimate igloo, players will find an abundance of activities to keep them engaged throughout the year.
Players will revel in the spirit of each season with unique seasonal celebrations and events that bring Sims together. Sims can snuggle up with their crush and get crowned the king or queen of the spring dance, visit the face-painting booth at the summer festival, bob for apples beside a pumpkin patch at the fall festival or head to the snowball fight arena for an epic wintertime battle. The Sims 3 Seasons also introduces new food, fashions and décor items such as French fries, a tanning booth, mistletoe, umbrellas, snow boots and wetsuits, further enhancing the experience and fun of each season.
In The Sims 3 Seasons, transformative weather effects will capture the beauty and power of nature, from blooming flowers and fresh spring rain to changing autumn leaves and snowstorms that will turn the world into a winter wonderland. Sims will react to the changes in climate and weather in surprising and hilarious ways, whether getting a zebra-striped tan, catching a cold or getting struck by lightning.
Players who pre-order The Sims 3 Seasons Expansion Pack from select retailers will receive the Limited Edition which includes the exclusive Ice Lounge community lot, a sleek social club that can be placed in any world from The Sims 3 and is available in all seasons. This all-new venue includes 12 brand new objects made entirely of ice that can be used to build out an elegant, icy abode.
As someone who owns and have played all The Sims 3 games to date…. my only issue with this is that given how they have chosen to structure neighborhoods…. I will be struggling to find room to put all these new items in my community….
