EA Ships SimCity 4 Rush Hour Expansion Pack; The First Expansion Pack in the SimCity Franchise.

Entertainment Editors

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2003

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS) today announced the release of the first expansion pack for SimCity(TM) 4, SimCity(TM) 4 Rush Hour Expansion Pack*. For the first time in SimCity history, players can take charge of vehicles in their cities to drive or solve missions that earn reward buildings and vehicles. Players have the ultimate level of control over their city's transportation network by completely taking charge of roads, rail, air, and even waterways. SimCity is on the move in SimCity 4 Rush Hour.

"We focused SimCity 4 Rush Hour around transportation, because it was the number one requested area to expand upon among SimCity 4 fans and is the life-blood of every city," said Lucy Bradshaw, Vice President in charge of PC Development at EA's Maxis studio. "Players can control vehicles freely, solve missions that will affect their game play, and experience the thrill and power of creating the ultimate transportation utopia."

In SimCity 4 Rush Hour, players take control of their city's transportation with a wide variety of new options. They can create the elevated train networks of Chicago, the wide-avenues of New York, or the one-way streets of San Francisco. Players can develop a seamless mass-transit system including monorail, subway, or even a scenic ferry service that connects to a greater regional travel network. With all-new problem-solving maps and tracking tools, players can see the pulsing flow of traffic, map out the most efficient routes, and quickly get Sims from one city to another.

For the first time, players take charge of vehicles in their cities. Is the fire department stuck in traffic on its way to a four-alarm fire? Players can take direct control and pursue the quickest route to the blazing inferno. They can also put their Sims on the move in new cars, scooters, futuristic jet-packs, and motorcycles.

Players also solve missions that range from good to evil. Players that accept good missions such as catching car-jackers and thwarting bank robbers will earn reward buildings and other vehicles. Players that decide to be lawless and drive the get away car will earn more Simoleans, but their mayor rating will take a hit. As players gain traction by fixing transportation problems and solving missions, they watch their mayor approval rating soar and their Sim population grow!

Also new to SimCity 4 Rush Hour are over 30 new bridge options and a bridge selection tool. Players also can create a city based on an all-new modern European building set or choose one of three new architectural styles included in the original SimCity 4 including Chicago 1890's, New York 1940's, or Houston 1990's. Players can add dozens of new structures including rail yards, lighthouses, and ferry buildings. Players can now place a space shuttle launch center in town or a TV news station with a helipad for the news copter. They can make their final mark as mayor and personalize their city by labeling street names, mountains, neighborhoods, and points of interest.

True to the SimCity(TM) series, the expansion pack features new disasters. Car accidents and train derailments can snarl traffic and wreck havoc on the commute. Players can start a UFO alien invasion and watch the abduction of Sims, the destruction of buildings, and the creation of crop circles. Others may want to take control of their own UFO from Dr. Vu's Area 5.1 to create their own chaos and abductions. Players can also watch Autosaurus Wrecks transform and come to life out of buses and cars and cause destruction and devastation in the city. Players can now put their foot on the gas and get their Sims on the go in SimCity 4 with SimCity 4 Rush Hour.

SimCity 4 Rush Hour also includes tutorials to help new players get started and new gameplay levels, so players of any skill can create the city of their dreams.

SimCity 4 carries an ESRB rating of "E" for everyone with descriptor(s) of Violence. It is available in stores now for a suggested retail price of US $19.99 or by direct order from the EA Store(SM) at http://www.ea.com or by calling 877-EA GAMES (1-877-324-2637). Existing SimCity 4 users will be eligible for a rebate of $10.00** when they purchase SimCity 4 Rush Hour.

About SimCity(TM) 4

In the best-selling SimCity 4, players sculpt mountains, gouge riverbeds, and seed forests to lay the groundwork for their creation. Then, as Mayor, players construct the most realistic city they can imagine. The city comes alive with the hustle and bustle of construction crews, the snarl of traffic and the activity of Sims. Players can place their Sims from The Sims(TM) for PC game into their city and watch as they go about their daily lives. Players can build mansions on mountainsides, cross canyons with bridges, raise skyscrapers downtown, and compete for resources with neighboring SimCities. With every decision players make, the city and the Sims in it will respond for better or worse.

About the SimCity(TM) Franchise

Pursuing a lifelong fascination with simulations, legendary game designer Will Wright and his team at Maxis(TM) created the original SimCity in 1989. Critically acclaimed, it garnered dozens of awards and sold millions of copies both domestically and internationally. SimCity 2000(TM) followed in 1993. SimCity 3000(TM), released in 1999, became the #1 selling PC game that year. SimCity 3000 and SimCity 3000(TM) Unlimited, an enhanced version released in 2000, combined have sold nearly 5 million units worldwide.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $2.5 billion for fiscal 2003. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA GAMES(TM), and EA SPORTS BIG(TM). EA's homepage and online game site is http://www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.info.ea.com.

*SimCity 4 Rush Hour Expansion Pack requires SimCity 4 to play.

**Mail-in Rebate Offer expires January 31, 2004. Redeemable only through Electronic Arts. Valid only in the U.S. and Canada for new SimCity 4 Rush Hour Expansion Pack games purchased between 9/22/2003 and 1/31/2004. Offer limited to one rebate per household. Customer must complete and return the original Rebate Certificate, no copies accepted, the original UPC code (both from the SimCity 4 Rush Hour Expansion Pack product box) and a dated sales receipt (or copy) for the SimCity 4 Rush Hour Expansion Pack. Mail-in Rebate Certificates must be postmarked no later than 2/14/2004. Sale receipts will not be returned. Rebates issued by check in U.S. Dollars to U.S. Customers and in Canadian Dollars to Canadian Customers. Customers are responsible for sales tax and/or duties that may apply. Electronic Arts is not responsible for any illegible, lost, incomplete, postage due or misdirected mail. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Offer is non-transferable and may not be substituted, exchanged, sold or redeemed for cash or other goods or services. Subject to availability. Offer void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA GAMES, EA SPORTS BIG, EA Store, Maxis, SimCity, SimCity 2000, SimCity 3000 and The Sims are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.