The Black Eyed Peas and The Urbz: Sims in the City Enter Groundbreaking Partnership

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 26, 2004--Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment company and A&M Records released details today on plans to have world renowned, multi-platinum selling musical group The Black Eyed Peas provide and produce the soundtrack to the videogame and their likenesses as characters for the highly anticipated The Urbz(TM): Sims in the City(TM) videogame. In an extraordinary collaboration across the two industries, the game will include exclusive versions of nine tracks from the upcoming Black Eyed Peas' album "Monkey Business" due out this fall. These songs are being recorded specifically for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox(R) video game system from Microsoft, and the Nintendo GameCube(TM) versions of the game.

The Urbz(TM): Sims in the City(TM) is EA's latest franchise under EA GAMES(TM) brand, based off of the number one selling people simulation game, The Sims(TM). For the first time, Sims are moving to the city and it's all about your reputation. Unlock all nine districts in the city that never sleeps and gain access to all the hottest VIP spots until you reach the highest penthouse in the sky and acquire control of the entire City. Band members Will.I.Am, Fergie, Taboo and Apl.de.Ap appear in the game as musicians teaching players hip social moves and unlocking reputation-enhancing missions. All the while, players can groove to the newest Black Eyed Peas songs custom mixed by Will.I.Am in Simlish, the game's authentic quirky language.

"This is an unprecedented collaboration," said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Audio at Electronic Arts. "Never before has a band gone back in to the studio to re-record their album in another language, specifically for a game. Once again, EA has set the bar higher than ever before."

The Black Eyed Peas began in the surrounding areas of Los Angeles and have since become a worldwide phenomenon. Their third album, Elephunk, has been on the Billboard Top 40 Album Chart for over 53 straight weeks, and has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. The band has also been nominated for three MTV 2004 Video Music Awards for Best Hip Hop Video, Best Dance Video and Best Choreography. The show airs on Sunday, August 29.

"The Black Eyed Peas music and band members themselves are a perfect fit for the attitude and feel of The Urbz: Sims in the City," said Sinjin Bain, Executive Producer and Vice President. "The Band's music embodies the same sense of fun and energy as the game and we look forward to giving players the opportunity to experience music remixed with gaming at its fullest."

The Urbz(TM): Sims in the City(TM) will ship in November 2004 for all consoles as well as the Game Boy(R) Advance and the Nintendo DS(TM).