SYDNEY, Australia, January 9, 2013 – Whether partying with class or venturing into open seas, The Sims™ has you covered this year with the release of new expansion and stuff packs to add depth, variety and new ways to play with life in The Sims 3 for PC/Mac. The Maxis Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that The Sims 3 University Life and The Sims 3 Island Paradise Expansion Packs*, and an untitled new expansion and a stuff pack are in development and will be available to players in 2013. Also, available on January 24 is The Sims 3 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff, in which players can warp their Sims back in time with the hottest fashions, hairstyles and furnishings from decades past.

“With the release of three new expansion packs, a new stuff pack, and premium content through The Sims 3 Store, we are looking forward to seeing what our players create and share online with so many great options,” said Scott Evans General Manager of The Sims Studio. He continues, “We are dedicated to building quality games with unique themes and exciting new content for The Sims 3 that add tremendous depth to The Sims 3 gameplay experience.”

Coming this March, The Sims 3 University Life will give players an opportunity to leave home and attend university, where they will enroll in classes, earn degrees and discover the crazy antics and hijinks that go hand-in-hand with the college lifestyle. From juice-keggers to new social groups, to protests in the quad and young love, there’s much more to university than time spent in the classroom. Sims will explore an all-new college town filled with new locations to visit such as the bowling alley and SimBurger and discover hidden talents through an array of extra-curricular activities, including spray painting murals, playing games of kicky bag in the quad and so much more!

The Sims 3 University Life opens a new chapter for young adult to elder Sims and anyone in between. Once a Sim is enrolled in university, they will pick from one of six majors and work towards earning a degree. From class activities to major-specific objects, The Sims 3 University Life will poise Sims for multiple benefits in their careers, including accelerated pay, higher career entry, new opportunities and more.

Available for pre-order is The Sims 3 University Life Limited Edition Expansion Pack available at EB Games Australia and New Zealand, which includes the Party Pack consisting of the Partaeus Maximus statue, a toga outfit and a masquerade mask. The Partaeus Maximus statue is an all-new object that will appear in the university world and enable Sims to choose from six different party themes and throw the ultimate bash.

Dropping anchor this June is The Sims 3 Island Paradise, an expansion pack filled with adventure, exploration and a world of new discoveries set on the sunny shores and beneath the glistening water of a tropical paradise. For the first time ever, Sims can take the helm of fully customizable houseboats and set sail in search of uncharted islands, create, own and manage resorts or discover what lies beneath the ocean through the new skill-based scuba diving and snorkeling activities. The Sims 3 Island Paradise introduces all new ways to build – whether it’s a lavish five-star resort, a bungalow on the water or a houseboat that can travel the seas. Players can create their own idea of island paradise for their Sims in this new expansion pack and embark on an unforgettable journey.

Launching this fall is an all-new stuff pack that is filled with clothing and décor inspired by iconic movie themes and settings. Additionally this fall, Sims will finally be able to travel to the future in an all-new expansion pack, currently untitled. More details will be revealed in the coming months, but Sims will certainly have the time of their lives this year with the offerings from The Sims 3.

The Sims 3 University Life is rated “M” and the rating is pending for The Sims 3 Island Paradise. The Sims 3 University Life is currently available for pre-order online and across retailers worldwide. For more information on The Sims 3 University Life, please visit the official website at <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.thesims.com/universitylife”>www.thesims.com/universitylife.