Mobile gamers get The Sims for Christmas

EA has announced the impending release of an exclusive mobile phone version of The Sims 2 - completing its ambitions for total market coverage for the title, which is now available on every current generation platform in the industry.

Originally released on the PC in the autumn of 2004 in Europe, Sims 2 became the fastest selling game of all time, and the number one PC game of the year. The people management simulator has subsequently seen a release on all consoles, all handhelds and with the imminent mobile release, has truly achieved mass market status.

Aiming to give mobile gamers something a little different, The Sims 2 for mobiles will feature entirely new storylines, a 'Create-a-Sim' mode allowing player customisation from a selection of components, and the latest popular term in the mobile industry - 'one-thumb' gameplay.

Played out in a colourful 3D world, players will be able to satiate the wants and needs of their Sims, building relationships, forging careers and purchasing objects and items for the virtual home; just as the PC and console versions offer.

The release of The Sims 2 marks another of EA's tentative steps into the mobile arena, as the company, who is considered an exceptionally dominant force in the traditional videogames industry, begins to measure its success with wireless titles and weigh up the market appeal for conversions of its console and PC titles. In a recent interview with Mobileindustry.biz, EA Mobile's Lincoln Wallen commented "EA sees mobile as a significant potential market, so we're not dipping our toe in the water any more. We want to realise that potential, so we're in with both feet."

The Sims 2 Mobile will be available for download across Europe in December. No specific release date has been confirmed so far.