A few updates about The Sims Online from Amazon. This game will be released at 18 November 2002 in the US. As we can see at Amazon.co.uk, it appears to be released nearly a month later at 13 December 2002. The same probably goes for the rest of Europe. Also, there will be a 'Game Card' box, sold for $29,99, which gives you some play time for The Sims Online (I expect that to be 2 or 3 months). There will also be a so-called Charter Edition for an additional $25 over the 'regular' version of the game. The difference is that it comes with some extras. First of all, you get 2 extra months of play time over the regular package which has just 1 month play time. You'll also get a 'Charter Member Certificate' to 'show off your special status'. Furthermore there's a TSO Soundtrack with the music from the game on it, and you'll get a full colour manual instead of the standard grey one. Two other items are an interactive "Be Somebody Else" Sim Magnet, and a twisty Sim key chain with which you can Mix and Match Sims on the go. If you want to pre-order one of the packages, visit Amazon US (US Only - TSO, Gamecard and Charter Edition), EBGames (Partially US Only - TSO (with or without play test), Gamecard, Charter Edition and the TSO Prima Strategy Guide) or Amazon UK (UK and Europe Only - just The Sims Online). Again, note that the game is still in development and will be released in a month in the US, and another month later in the UK and (probably) Europe. The play test is currently not available outside the US (unless you can get someone to mail-forward the cds), but EA Europe has some 'silvers' that they plan to make available soon. As soon as details follow on that, we will tell you. Thanks to our Sumit for the details on the Charter Edition and Andy for the Europe Play Test info (and also passing on the charter details to me), and SimGateway for the tip from Amazon.