EA consider SimCity offline mode: “no intention for the moment... but we'll look into that.”

09 March 2013 • 72 days 13 hours ago • Story by Tim Edwards

Comments 4

EA’s SimCity is obviously struggling, and the problem stems from game’s need for a persistent online connection. The servers it requires just can’t keep up with the player numbers during peak times. In a series of tweets from the SimCity account, SimCity executive producer Lucy Bradshaw has responded to repeated requests by users for an offline mode. Unexpectedly, there's some hope.

EDIT: We're not sure if the second tweet is referring to a possible offline mode, or a previous question about map size, and have changed the headline to reflect the confusion.

In the first tweet, Lucy says that “We have no intention of offlining SimCity any time soon but we'll look into that as part of our earning back your trust efforts.”

We have no intention of offlining SimCity any time soon but we'll look into that aspart of our earning back your trust efforts.

— SimCity (@simcity) March 9, 2013

But, she continues....

“We're definitely looking into this as we know it would improve your experience.”

We're definitely looking into this as we know it would improve your experience.

— SimCity (@simcity) March 9, 2013

Adding an offline mode to the new SimCity would be a spectacular climbdown for EA and Maxis. The developers have repeatedly maintained that the online connection is fundamental for the game to work. The game is built around the concept of economic sharing; players are able to feed each-other resources, power, and even workers.

But as we’ve repeatedly seen, the server capacity simply isn’t there to cope. In the last few days EA have asked affiliates and partners to stop selling the game, while Amazon have withdrawn the digital download from their store.

In the meantime, EA are to offer SimCity players a free game, even if they’ll refuse refunds to those who’ve purchased it.

SimCity Maxis Lucy Bradshaw

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subedii says: 22:03pm March 9th 2013

Believe_it = See_it(when_I);

VinsanityV22 says: 09:07am March 10th 2013

Like many people, I sincerely doubt the game needs to be hooked up to the Cloud to work all the simulations going on. I'm no programmer though. so it is all just talking out my ass. But I don't see why they'd be dumb enough to design the game that way anyway. SimCity is about MACRO simulation, not Micro simulation. If you want to get down to the nitty-gritty that much, go play the Sims. If they honestly did design this thing to require the cloud and EA's servers, shame on them. You don't design something that's dependent on some outside, 3rd party system to function. As the launch proves so very, very well :) Not to mention, the game will just shut off in a few years. That's it. You bought it, you'll never be able to play it again. This game can never show up on GOG.com in 15 years either. It's an extremely stupid, short-sighted way of designing a game... if it's true. Like I said, I'm firmly in the "It's just EA's DRM" camp.

They would be much happier right now if SimCity shipped with an offline, and a true single player, mode. Shipped, and was designed for.

DustyGerkin says: 10:16am March 10th 2013

Its all down to how much simulation needs to run in the background for the other cities in the region. But I just can't see any reason why it can't be done locally. It's just trying to disguise your DRM as something it isn't.

I sincerely hope that they sort out online and move away from this server nonsense. I'm only going to be playing this as single player so the need for a server is not required for me,

Empyre says: 13:24pm March 10th 2013

It will be no coincidence that this will happen when sales reach the zero point.