The Sims 3 Showtime: Katy Perry, Free Stuff and More

The Sims 3 Showtime expansion will include Katy Perry inspired bonus content in a collector's edition version, free "stuff" with your purchase by way of a bonus download item pack, and a whole host of new content for Sims fans to explore. As usual, a new world will be concluded with this expansion pack, along with new traits and lifetime aspirations.

The Sims 3 Showtime, which expands upon the core game and previous expansions to offer new venues, career choices, achievements and items, will also include the closest thing the Sims 3 PC title has to multiplayer mode: The ability to "make new friends, connect, and share your stories and experiences without ever leaving the game" through the Be Connected feature.

Previous Sims 3 expansions have slowly introduced more social features to this popular simulation PC title by way of sharing updates via Facebook when your Sim(s) unlock an achievement or new memory. However, news that the Sims 3 Showtime expansion would enable players to send custom-made Sims to other players spread like wildfire, generating a considerable amount of hype for this latest Sims 3 expansion pack.

The Sims 3 Showtime offers free "Stuff" and Katy Perry all in one purchase.

EA Games has offered numerous pre-order perks for customers who purchase their copy of the latest Sims 3 expansion in advance, often months before the eagerly awaited title hits store shelves. With the Sims 3 Showtime expansion pack, pre-ordering customers are being offered a collector's edition "Katy Perry" version of the title. This collector's edition includes a "downloadable venue, plus a Katy Perry themed hairstyle, fashions, guitar, fruit-themed stage props, and an exclusive poster."

In addition, customers who place a pre-order for Sims 3 Showtime are being offered the additional perk of a bonus "Stuff Pack" full of themed content. Whether you choose the Sims 3 Fast Lane Stuff, Outdoor Living Stuff or the High-End Loft Stuff, this additional freebie has an approximate value of $19.99 - just for pre-ordering the expansion pack! The Sims 3 Pets expansion pack, which released in 2011, also featured a bonus "Stuff Pack" with the purchase of a pre-order copy of the title. At the time, this seemed to be in response to a discounted deal Amazon.com had advertised for a physical copy of the expansion, and the bonus "Stuff Pack" was only available through EA Game's Origin Store with a digital copy of the Sims 3 Pets. Once again, the bonus deals are once again only available with the digital copy of the Sims 3 Showtime expansion pack, but it seems EA Games has gotten the jump on any competitors with this tremendous deal.

You can pre-order the Sims 3 Showtime expansion pack on the Sims 3 website or through Origin for $49.99, or a limited edition version for $39.99 that includes no bonus content; any pre-order purchase is eligible for the free "Stuff Pack" bonus. The release date is still set as March 2012, and the title carries an ESRB rating of Teen. Without a doubt, this is one exciting Sims 3 expansion pack I cannot wait to add to my collection!

Sources:

Official Website, "The Sims 3 Showtime Katy Perry," game features