Electronic Arts Announces New SimCity

[Andy Chalk]

Electronic Arts Announces New SimCity

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Electronic Arts has made it official - SimCity is back.

The announcement of a new SimCity isn't a complete surprise, as rumors [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116083-Rumors-Swirl-Over-SimCity-5-Announcement-Next-Week] of the game first bubbled up back at the end of February when a couple of European outlets reported that Maxis was working on a new addition to the franchise. And while the new SimCity looks an awful lot like the old SimCity in many ways - build a city, make it grow and then, hopefully, do awful things to it - it's also quite clearly moved light years beyond its predecessors.

The huge growth in computing power over the decade since the release of the last game in the series - SimCity 4 [http://www.amazon.com/SimCity-4-Deluxe-Edition-Download/dp/B00457VJ3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331140022&sr=8-1] in 2003 - means that SimCity will be able to do things that developers of previous iterations could only dream of. The game will be a "full, bottom-up simulation," according to Creative Director Ocean Quigley, and based on the look of the announcement trailer the level of detail will be nothing short of astonishing.

Lead Producer Kip Katsarelis also confirmed that the game will, as rumored, support multiplayer action. "This is the first truly multiplayer SimCity," he said. "What makes the multiplay unique is that cities are actually connected, so the choices that you're making at the city level have a rippling effect across the region and the greater SimCity world."

In a bit of a surprise twist, SimCity - no numbers or anything, by the way, just SimCity - will be a PC exclusive, but alas you will not be able to import your simcity.com [http://www.amazon.com/Sims-3-Pc/dp/B00166N6SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331140652&sr=8-1].


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[Fasckira]

Ok, colour me impressed.

Not sure how the multiplayer part will play out though, what if I get placed between a collection of massive trolls who just spend their time screwing up their area to directly mess up my area?

 

[viranimus]

On the one hand, thats awesome... on the other hand ... thats awesome!

Actually I hope this goes back to a more balanced approach like what was seen in Sim City 3000 as opposed to how poorly Sim City 4s economic and management systems ran due to unneeded complexity.

A full graphic overhaul would be nice except Sim City is one of those games that even a decade after the game is released it still chugs on a modern computer. So heres hoping to much better optimization and not trying to over do it with graphics.

 

[gigastar]

Loving the game information section.

Simcity
Developer: Maxis
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: November 19th, 2006
Platforms: Microsoft Windows

Is what i got, anyway...

OT: I cant really think of anything critical to say about the new SimCity. As long as they improve on the previous installments i dont really see anything to have a problem with.

 

[Weaver]

I'm on the fence.

1) Multiplayer sounds kind of stupid. I disliked the "city linking" thing in Cities XL and I don't think I'll like it here. I want to make a self-sufficient city. Going one map over and making the whole thing farmlands to feed people was incredibly boring, time consuming and unrewarding. I just feel an incredibly small portion of city building game fans ever once thought there was a real need for multiplayer, so the whole thing seems forced.

It, of course, IS forced as EA has laid down a mandate that all games must have multiplayer now.

2) It will require Origin (unless EA changes its tune in a year).

3) I really don't want to have to buy the "EA Mountain Dew? Stadium DLC - $0.99"or have to put up with the "Exclusive Commercial High Rise Pre-Order Bonus at GameStop!"

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

In a bit of a surprise twist, SimCity - no numbers or anything, by the way, just SimCity - will be a PC exclusive

How is that in any way a twist? Okay okay, so there was an SNES version of the first Sim City, but outside of that the series hasn't ever really seen console releases.

At any rate, I may have to give this a pass. It's EA, so it's likely to be Origin exclusive. That's an automatic no-buy for me. If it's on Steam, or at the very least has a stand-alone no-Origin version that I can buy, then maybe.

 

[RedgraveStorm]

This brings back memories of playing SimCity 2000 and building a sprawling metropolis... and than sending in tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and of course, Godzilla.

Just please don't let it be an origin exclusive.

 

[Ninedeus]

Multiplayer? So this is this going to require constant online connection and monthly fees like Cities XL? That ruined the game.

I hope there would be at least a single player mode. Been waiting a loooong for another Sim City to be released.

 

[KeyMaster45]

The price is disgusting.

£45 for the base game or £65 for the special edition.

Huh that doesn't sound like much *looks up price in USD and spits coffee on his monitor* The hell are they smoking at EA? $60 for the standard edition? It's a fricking city simulator, it should cost $30 max. Think I'll just wait till EA caves and puts it up on steam for 75% off.

 

[gunner1905]

The price is disgusting.

£45 for the base game or £65 for the special edition.

Huh that doesn't sound like much *looks up price in USD and spits coffee on his monitor* The hell are they smoking at EA? $60 for the standard edition? It's a fricking city simulator, it should cost $30 max. Think I'll just wait till EA caves and puts it up on steam for 75% off.

I know that $60 is an inflated price for pc game (which should be $50 btw) but how can you say that a genre of game should be lesser than another game, it's like saying RPG gives me more playtime than fps so it should be quarter the price, or like jprg is full of cutscenes so it should be like going to the movies $10.

 

[A Satanic Panda]

According to Amazon.com, the exact release date is March 31st, 2013.

 

[KeyMaster45]

The price is disgusting.

£45 for the base game or £65 for the special edition.

Huh that doesn't sound like much *looks up price in USD and spits coffee on his monitor* The hell are they smoking at EA? $60 for the standard edition? It's a fricking city simulator, it should cost $30 max. Think I'll just wait till EA caves and puts it up on steam for 75% off.

I know that $60 is an inflated price for pc game (which should be $50 btw) but how can you say that a genre of game should be lesser than another game, it's like saying RPG gives me more playtime than fps so it should be quarter the price, or like jprg is full of cutscenes so it should be like going to the movies $10.

Because certain genres are worth less than others by simple virtue of who's actually going to buy it. Let's face it, the city/empire simulation genre is a very niche market. All but the most die-hard of player are going to be willing to buy the game at $60 when they know at most they're going to get max three days of play (that's being generous) out of it before they get bored and never pick it up again. Ergo, the fuck are they smoking? Sales will be awful at that price point and even worse if they confine/fuse it to Origin. Anno 2070, SimCity, The Sims, Tropico; games like that just aren't worth the same as games from other more mainstream genres.

 

[isometry]

The price is disgusting.

£45 for the base game or £65 for the special edition.

Huh that doesn't sound like much *looks up price in USD and spits coffee on his monitor* The hell are they smoking at EA? $60 for the standard edition? It's a fricking city simulator, it should cost $30 max. Think I'll just wait till EA caves and puts it up on steam for 75% off.

I know that $60 is an inflated price for pc game (which should be $50 btw) but how can you say that a genre of game should be lesser than another game, it's like saying RPG gives me more playtime than fps so it should be quarter the price, or like jprg is full of cutscenes so it should be like going to the movies $10.

Because certain genres are worth less than others by simple virtue of who's actually going to buy it. Let's face it, the city/empire simulation genre is a very niche market. All but the most die-hard of player are going to be willing to buy the game at $60 when they know at most they're going to get max three days of play (that's being generous) out of it before they get bored and never pick it up again. Ergo, the fuck are they smoking? Sales will be awful at that price point and even worse if they confine/fuse it to Origin. Anno 2070, SimCity, The Sims, Tropico; games like that just aren't worth the same as games from other more mainstream genres.

Civilization is an empire simulation and it's one of my all-time most played series. Sim City is a lot less replayable, but over the years I've played over 100 hours of Sim City 4.

I bought Sim City 2000, 3000, and 4 all at full price because I like the series and wanted to support it, and I felt I got more than enough value out of them.

Having said that, I have no faith in EA making this current Sim City incarnation something I want to deal with, so I won't buy it at any price.

 

[Antari]

It will be an easy decision for me. If its Origin only, then Simcity 4 will continue to hold its spot as my city sim.

 

[TehChuckles]

what's the bet it's Origin only? only time you'll see me play it is if it appears on a ridiculous steam sale. as an Australian I'm sick of paying 100$ for some Data. Like this this is sold hundreds of thousand times over and easily jump back into the black. the least the Producers can do is lower the cost a little.

 

[valkeminator]

Is it just me or, has anyone else thought about causing harm to each other's city instead of helping them?

But otherwise this should be interesting, its been long time indeed since a simcity game.

 

[doublenix]

Love what I've seen so far. Hopefully they will add the ability to make farming communities. Everything is industry and tech in these games. Where do people actually get their food? Vat-grown meats and hydroponic gardens?