Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that renowned American film actress and pop music singer Hilary Duff will brush her shoulders for the first time with gaming by featuring in world renowned strategy/simulation computer game The Sims. With Duff her beloved Chihuahua Lola will also feature in The Sims 2 Pet games.
To check out Duff in The Sims 2 Pets, pick up a copy of the game before December 31st. To download the Hilary Sim, players need to visit the official Sims website. Once she is downloaded to the game, she will be a fully playable character in the Sims. In other words players can now customize and control Hilary as they do other Sims, from changing her clothes, makeup and hairstyle to building and decorating her home, even defining her dreams and establishing her social life, by throwing parties, making friends, flirting and creating a family.
The Sims enthusiast Duff said, “I’ve logged hundreds of hours playing The Sims games, so I jumped at the chance to be in The Sims 2 Pets.” She added, “I love creating Sims characters and guiding them through life, designing their houses and then blinging them out with cool furniture. Now, in The Sims 2 Pets, EA has combined two things I really enjoy —pets and The Sims!”
“Hilary is the perfect partner for The Sims 2 Pets – not only is she a huge animal lover, but she is also a Sims fan!” said Rod Humble, executive producer for The Sims Division of Electronic Arts. “Hilary was involved in every step of the process, from creating the Hilary and Lola characters to designing some of the tricks dogs can do in the game.”
Special moments come to life through the lifelike animations, artwork and game play of The Sims 2 Pets: A dog gnawing at his chew toy, a cat jumping at a dangled feather, a toddler stroking the chest of a big dog who sits by patiently—even the serenity of a cat curled up at the end of the bed. These moments, captured within the game, create a real close association between players and these virtual creatures.
“Although she’s trying not to let it go to her head, Lola is very excited to make her cameo in The Sims 2 Pets next month!” exclaimed Hilary about her two year old Blue Fawn Teacup Chihuahua, Lola. “We can’t wait to hang at Central Town Park, play with other pups and shop around for the latest pet accessories! Check out her blog for updates on her videogame fandom at www.hilaryduff.com.”
The Sims 2 Pets will build on the renowned The Sims 2 experience which allows players to create and control characters throughout their life while determining the outcome of their relationships and adventures. The addition of a new furry friend is guaranteed to enrich the daily lives of your Sims! Not only will players have the opportunity to choose from a variety of existing cat and dog breeds and hottest designer mixes, but they’ll also be able to personally design their new friend with the Create-a-Pet feature. The ability to customize gives fans the opportunity to create their ideal pet by choosing their body shape, unique markings, even their pet’s personalities! As in real life, your Sims’ pet will benefit from 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, so expect the unexpected!
To enjoy The Sims 2 Pets on PC, players will need to own and install The Sims 2 before installing The Sims 2 Pets PC Expansion Pack.
The Sims 2 Pets games will be released on October 17 in North America and on October 19 across Europe for the Sony PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the Nintendo GameCube and as a PC expansion pack to the original PC game, The Sims 2. A Nintendo DS version of the game is slated to follow in late October for Europe and November in the U.S.