EA Ships The Sims 2 Pets to Store Shelves Today.

EA Answers Number One Fan Request by Adding Animal Companions to the World of The Sims 2

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Today Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced that the company has shipped The Sims[TM] 2 Pets for the PlayStation[R]2 computer entertainment system, the Nintendo GameCube[TM] and

as a PC expansion pack* for the best-selling PC game, The Sims[TM] 2, to retailers. (Mobile and handheld versions will follow.) The Sims 2 Pets builds on the celebrated The Sims 2 experience that allows players to create and control digital characters throughout their lives while determining the outcome of their relationships and choosing their destiny. Each version will feature custom content tailored to the platform.

The addition of animal friends is guaranteed to enrich the daily lives of your Sims! Not only will you have the opportunity to choose from a variety of existing breeds and hot designer mixes, but you'll also be able to use the Create-a-Pet feature to create unique pets by designing different body types, choosing unique markings, even defining personalities! From smart and silly to sweet and sloppy, players can create any pet they desire in The Sims 2 Pets.

Players will also be able to teach their pet new tricks, take them for a romp in the park, outfit them with new pet accessories and even give them a job! As in real life, your Sims' pet will require care and training. A neglected cat with an urge to scratch might claw up your new couch if you aren't careful, and leaving your dog unattended near a freshly planted flower bed probably isn't wise! When you add pets to the whimsical Simsical world of The Sims 2, there's no telling what might happen!

The Sims 2 Pets also offers a star-studded celebrity line-up! Check out the latest hits from the hottest musical acts including the Pussycat Dolls, Aly & AJ, The Flaming Lips and Hot Chip while interacting with international superstar Hilary Duff and her beloved Chihuahua Lola. The latter pair will appear in the Nintendo DS[TM], PlayStation 2 console and Nintendo GameCube versions of the game, and Hilary and Lola can only be downloaded into the PC version until December 31, 2006 from www.TheSims2.com

"The Sims games have sold more than 70 million copies around the world and we have a huge fan base. The number one request we hear from fans is that they'd like to finally interact with pets in the games." said Executive Producer Rod Humble. "I'm happy to say that EA has listened to our fans! With The Sims 2 Pets, we have brought to life the experience of pet ownership Co from the special moments such as being nuzzled by your cat, to moments of frustration, like discovering your dog has knocked over the trash Co within the world of The Sims 2."

In North America, The Sims 2 Pets will be available on Nintendo DS by November 2, 2006, on Game Boy[R] Advance by November 9th, 2006 and on the PSP[R] (PlayStation[R]Portable) system by November 30th. In France and the United Kingdom, The Sims 2 Pets will be available on Nintendo DS by October 27th, 2006. In all other markets, The Sims 2 Pets will be available on Nintendo DS by November 3rd, 2006, on Game Boy[R] Advance by November 17th, 2006 and on the PSP[R] (PlayStation[R]Portable) system by December 15th . A mobile version is coming soon.

About The Sims[TM]

The Sims franchise celebrated its sixth anniversary in February 2006. The game skyrocketed to the top of the charts when it began shipping to stores in February 2000 and quickly become a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. The Sims[TM] PC based product and expansion packs were the best selling PC games of 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Translated into 20 different languages, the original version of The Sims has inspired seven top selling expansion packs. They include: The Sims[TM] Livin' Large, The Sims[TM] House Party, The Sims[TM] Hot Date, The Sims[TM] Vacation, The Sims[TM] Unleashed, The Sims[TM] Superstar, and The Sims[TM] Makin' Magic. The Sims 2 shipped in September 2004 with sales already topping 7M units worldwide to date. It was the best selling PC game of 2004. The Sims[TM] 2 University shipped in March 2005, The Sims[TM] 2 Nightlife shipped in September 2005, The Sims[TM] 2 Open for Business shipped in February 2006. Combined sales for The Sims franchise are over 70M units life-to-date. For more information on The Sims 2, visit http://www.thesims2.com and for more information on The Sims franchise titles, visit http://www.thesims.com

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA SPORTS BIG(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO and The Sims are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. "PlayStation" and "PSP" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Memory Stick Duo (TM) may be required (sold separately). [TM], [R], Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

*The PC version requires The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Special DVD Edition, or The Sims 2 Holiday Edition for PC to play.