The next addition to the expansive Sims 3 series has been named and detailed, and come March 2012, players of EA’s people simulator will be able to ‘let their colours burst’ in The Sims 3 Showtime!

With The Sims 3 Showtime expansion for The Sims 3, EA is inviting players “share the story of your Sims’ rise to fame” by allowing you to live a rags to riches journey to become a star and tell the tale, your way, by sharing it with your friends.

EA has implemented “new and innovative” social features (like in-game news feeds and live updates) to help connect players like never before, without the need to leave the game to do so.

“Players will venture into a new world and live the dream as singers, acrobats, magicians and DJs,” writes EA. “Using the all-new SimPort feature, players can send their Sim into a friend’s game to perform in their world, book gigs in their friends’ town, go on tour, and be reviewed.

“Along the way, players can earn rewards for achieving goals and accomplishing special challenges that can be tracked and shared via in-game social wall posts.”

Y’know… that sounds pretty neat! EA continues:

“Players have the opportunity to post their Sims’ successes, share gameplay techniques, create wishlists and send gifts, search for new friends and share memories through their in-game news feeds and as e-cards.”

Players of The Sims 3 Showtime will still be able to customise their world and this extends onto your performer’s stages, with the chance to add props and special effects to create concert halls (said to be “swanky”), stadium locations and even indie club scenes.

“How the stage is built will directly influence a player’s Sim’s performance and career progression. For players who love a challenge, they can earn in-game rewards and accomplish goals such as performing a legendary show in a high-level venue.

“For players who enjoy experimenting, an endless amount of gameplay opportunities and choices within the game provide a vast array of situations for cause-and-effect play and hilarity to ensue.”

The Sims 3 Showtime is currently available for pre-order, and if you pre-purchase the game you’ll automatically gain access to the Limited Edition version with an ‘Ultimate Stage Venue’ included.

Look out for The Sims 3 Showtime in March 2012, for PC and Mac - in the meantime, watch the inspiring debut trailer for the expansion below:

The Sims 3 Showtime - Debut Trailer