EA to launch Sequels For: Sims, SimCity, Black, LotR Games

The Sims 3 is, by no surprise whatsoever, already in the works. EA chief financial officer Warren Jenson said that The Sims 3 "is likely to be a fiscal '09 title" - meaning it could come out as "soon" as April 2008, or as late as March 2009. So that should give them plenty of time to milk another dozen or so Sims 2 expansion packs.

Also on the topic of Sims, mr. Jenson confirmed that the series is also coming to two next-generation platforms: Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3. The only surprise here is that Microsoft's Xbox 360 seems to have been deliberately left out. GameSpot writes:

"There is a Sims title that is being specifically developed for the Wii platform," said Jenson. "The Sims II holiday edition on PS3" is also coming, said the executive, indicating the game will arrive either in the 2006 or 2007 holiday season.

SimCity 5 was also confirmed at the time (although EA didn't use this actual title), re-strengthening an information that had been known for over two years. The game was already said to be in development in early 2004, when both Will Wright and Luc Barthelet (Maxis general manager) confirmed they were working on another sequel to the SimCity series.

Other titles mentioned by Electronic Arts were the next-generation version of Black (Criterion's PS2 / Xbox shooter), a new Simpsons game, the return of the Road Rash franchise, as well as another Lord of the Rings game. Gosh, you don't say!