Gaming News - August 2006

Redwood City, CA (August 8, 2006) - Electronic Arts today announced the signing of Aly & AJ to translate their song Chemicals React into The Sims native language, Simlish, for The Sims 2 Pets.

From EA:

The Sims 2 Pets launches on console and PC platforms October 17, 2006. The song will also be included in the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system version releasing the following month. Fans who can’t wait for the release of the game to check out the song—and a music video created within the world of The Sims 2—can find the complete Simlish video on a bonus DVD in Aly & AJ’s Deluxe Edition of Into the Rush which hit store shelves today. New songs, new art and a fold-out poster of Aly & AJ are also included in the package.

Sims supporters and admirers of Aly & AJ can check out highlights from the Simlish music video at www.thesims2.ea.com.

Long before EA approached them for this project, Aly and AJ were dedicated fans of The Sims franchise and near-fluent Simlish speakers. Learning Simlish isn’t easy—The Sims development team created the unique Simlish language by experimenting with fractured Ukrainian and Tagalog, the language of the Philippines. The result is an emotion-filled language that defies translation, one that Ali & AJ have mastered beautifully!

“Aly and AJ are one of the most popular musical acts among today’s teens and pre-teens, and they are huge fans of The Sims. Bringing their music into the game was a natural choice. They are playful, fun and full of life, just like the game itself,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing.

“We are HUGE fans of The Sims, so it was really cool to be tapped to provide music for their latest project, The Sims 2 Pets,” said AJ. “When we told EA that we could speak Simlish they were really psyched! It was fun to reinterpret our song for The Sims and ultimately, our fans!” Not only was the superstar sister act excited, but they felt a common purpose with The Sims. “One of the things I have always liked about The Sims games is that they are very inclusive, people can play out real storylines from their lives—like a romantic relationship that’s really gotten stressful—and there isn’t a lot of judgment,” explained Aly. “We try to do the same thing with our music, give people something that they can relate to, so they think, ‘I really get that, I’ve been through it!’”

The Simlish version of “Chemicals React” is included in The Sims 2 Pets console games, the PSP version and in the PC expansion pack. The Sims 2 Pets will build on the celebrated The Sims 2 experience that allows players to create and control characters throughout their lives while determining the outcome of their relationships and choosing their destiny. The addition of a new 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 pet breeds, and hot 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 require 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!