EA has announced at the Leipzig Games Convention that The Sims 3, the highly anticipated next-generation flagship PC game from The Sims Label, will be available at retailers worldwide and available by digital download on February 20, 2009.

"I'm excited to get the next-generation flagship PC game from The Sims Label, The Sims 3, into player's hands worldwide on February 20," said Rod Humble, Head of The Sims Studio.

The Sims 3 features a brand new engine that allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighborhood where they can roam and explore all new surroundings including the beach, mountains and town center.

The neighborhood is alive and constantly evolving so what happens to a Sim on one side of the neighborhood could impact your Sims on the other side of town. For the first time, your Sims have distinctive personalities thanks to a range of all-new personality traits.

Based on personality traits, skills and career choices, your Sims have short and long term Wishes that provide constant fun challenges, things to do and achieve. You have the ultimate freedom to choose whether to fulfill their destiny, giving them lifetime happiness and rewards or not. In The Sims 3, life is what you make it.