New Maxis Helsinki studio to focus on The Sims for mobile

Newsbrief: Electronic Arts has opened a new Maxis studio in Helsinki, Finland, focusing on development of new mobile titles in its The Sims franchise, while also seeking the potential to expand into other opportunities. Maxis Helsinki is headed up by Jami Laes, vice president of global studios for Playfish, who has joined EA's Maxis Label under Maxis GM Lucy Bradshaw. Bradshaw explained that mobile is a "strategic focus" for Maxis at the moment, and that the move to Finland was fueled by the area's existing mobile expertise developer base.