The Sims 3 Officially Announced

As we reported before, EA today officially announced The Sims 3, which it is touting as its “next-generation flagship PC game.” The game is said to feature a completely new engine and will feature new seamless, open neighborhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities and offer unlimited customization.

The open neighborhood concept sees the Sims freely roam around the neighborhood and visit friends… or foes. There will be new environments, including City Hall and even a local park. The Sims 3 will expand on its predecessor by offering almost unlimited customization options to create Sims. There is also the personality factor, letting players attribute each character with five distinct personality traits, helping the Sim interact with other Sims and the environments.

The Sims 3 is expected sometime next year. No console version was mentioned.