Official Rules and Conditions

1. Entry. NO ADDITIONAL PURCHASE NECESSARY. You will need a copy of either the original The Sims™ game or any of The Sims expansion packs to participate in this Contest. To enter, submit the form provided on thesims.com website, providing the following information:

a. Your user or screen name

b. Email Address

c. Brief description of story

d. Identify whether it is a romantic date (Great Date) story or lousy date (Date to Hate) story

e. Family Album - the submitted album should tell and illustrate your lousiest date (Date to Hate) or your most romantic date (Great Date) experience (real or fictitious) using your The Sims game to tell the story. Create a Sims family album as your story and upload it to the family exchange, to be judged on its creativity and visual interest.

f. The URL to the album location on thesims.com The Sims Family Exchange where we can read your story. (Item in the Exchange must match the user name of the email submission form).

Submissions must be received between February 5 and February 14, 2004. No other methods of entry will be accepted. Limit: One entry per user name

By entering, entrants warrant that their submissions are their own and original creations and do not violate or infringe the rights, including, without limitation, copyrights of any third party. Completed entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PST on February 14, 2004. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for lost, incomplete, incorrect, or misdirected entries. Use of a false email account will disqualify an entry. Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software malfunctions, misdirected entries, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled or delayed electronic or other communications. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any submission containing racial or ethnic slurs, explicit language or sexual content or otherwise offensive or illegal material. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, further reserves the right to disqualify any person who tampers with the entry process or the operation of the web site, or who otherwise violates these rules. By entering, entrants accept and agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and Conditions


2. Prizes; Winner Selection and Notification. There are two (2) grand prizes. One winner will be chosen in each story category, romantic dates (Great Date) and lousy dates (Date to Hate). The winner cannot be the same for each category. Winners will be highlighted on TheSims.com and receive any one currently available The Sims game of the winners choice (including any The Sims console game). Retail value varies based on game choice. The game will be signed by Will Wright. Provided that there are enough entries, 3 runners up in each category will be highlighted on TheSims.com. No material prizes will be given to runners up.
   
   Selection will be made and announced by February 26 on TheSims.com.
   
   Prizes are not transferable. No substitution of Prizes for cash or other goods and services is permitted, except Sponsor reserves the right to provide a substitute Prize of approximately equal value. All expenses not specified above, including, without limitation, all federal, state and local taxes, and international tariffs, are the sole responsibility of the individual Winner.
   
   Winners will be selected on or about February 26, 2004 as follows:
   
   Sponsor's staff members, in their sole discretion, will select the winning entries from all eligible entries submitted based on the following criteria: 80% Creativity, and 20% Visual interest. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries in this Contest and the relative skill of each entrant. Winners may be required to complete and sign an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release, in the form provided by Sponsor, within 14 days of attempted notification in order to claim Prize. If a minor wins a prize, it will be awarded in the name of the minor's parent or legal guardian, who will also be responsible for signing any necessary releases, consents and affidavits. Winners will be notified by an email sent to the email address specified on the Contest submission. If the winner cannot be contacted at this email address, is contacted and does not respond as directed within 14 days of attempted notification, refuses the prize or is ineligible to accept the prize, Sponsor reserves the right to select an alternate winner or not to award the Prize. Winners may be required to provide a shipping address to claim prize. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of Prize.
   
   
3. Eligibility. This Contest is only open to residents of the 50 United States (except Colorado) and the District of Columbia and Canada, excluding Quebec. This Contest is void in Colorado. Employees of Electronic Arts Inc., and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, representatives, advertising, promotion and publicity agencies and the immediate families of each are not eligible. Contest is void where prohibited, restricted or taxed by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.



4. General Conditions. Electronic Arts Inc., and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, representatives, advertising, promotion and publicity agencies, are not in any way responsible or liable for damages, loss or injury resulting from participation in this Contest or the acceptance, shipping and handling, loss or use of any Prizes awarded in this Contest. Winners assume sole liability for injuries, including personal injuries and/or damage to property, caused or claimed to be caused by participating in this Contest or the acceptance, shipping and handling, loss or use of any Prize awarded. Sponsor has the right to cancel, terminate or modify this Contest if it cannot be completed as planned due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, technical failures, or other conditions beyond Sponsor's control. Sponsor is not responsible for any failure to contact entrants whether due to technical or human error.


By entering this Contest, entrants agree that Sponsor may post their submission and has the right to use the submission along with entrant's user or screen name and hometown on Sponsor's website and in any and all publicity and advertising for The Sims or Maxis, this Contest or other promotions by Sponsor without any further attribution, notification or compensation to entrants except where prohibited by law. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may edit and/or modify any submission for publication.


5. Winners list. A winners list will be available at TheSims.ea.com after approximately February 26, 2004 and posted until approximately March 4, 2004.



6. Sponsor.This Contest is sponsored by Electronic Arts Inc., 209 Redwood Shores Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065.


© 2004 Electronic Arts Inc. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.