The Sims Franchise Breaks 100 Million Sales Milestone

Officials from Electronic Arts have announced that The Sims franchise has sold a combined total of 100 million units worldwide, including both core PC titles, their expansions, and various console based spin-offs. The first game for the series, designed by SimCity creator Will Wright, was released in 2000, and the series has since gone on to sell in sixty different countries and translated into twenty-two languages. Thus far, the franchise has generated around $4 billion in sales – an average of $500 million every year for the last eight years. Speaking on the official The Sims 2 website, Sims studio head Rod Humble thanked consumers - saying: “Over the years, we’ve seen an idea blossom into a global community of players, creators, and people who love to share with others. As part of that worldwide community, you’ve told your stories – more than a 100 million uniquely creative and inspiring tales that will continually take The Sims into the future.” The Sims 3 is due for release in 2009, after being previewed for the first time by Electronic Arts last month. To celebrate the series' new milestone, a free Sims outfit is available to players from the official website from today.