According to a survey carried out by EA, Maxis is working with the publisher to pitch potential updates for SimCity, including a ‘Classic Mode’, which would enable players to enjoy their world-building adventures offline. First spotted on Reddit, the document also details multiple new features for the real-time strategy game – namely subways, head-to-head leaderboards and even bigger cities.
Here’s the Reddit post in full:
Of course, following the server outage shortly after the game’s release back in March, the option to play offline is of paramount importance to many a SimCity player – as evidenced by the relentless feedback on the Maxis forum post-release. However, if these surveys do progress through to development, it seems that their resilience may finally be rewarded. The detailed transcript, which you can check out above, suggests that players will be able to control a ‘single functioning city’ independent from the game’s servers.
Having recently received its first DLC expansion in the shape of the ‘Amusement Pack’, Maxis look keen to maintain SimCity’s momentum, and while these features haven’t been confirmed as of yet, the addition of offline play via the purported ‘Classic Mode’ and the option of bigger cities will surely lend credence to sustaining the game’s popularity.
Since release, SimCity has witnessed its fair share of software patches to remedy several issues affecting the game’s performance – including traffic AI and Sim population problems – which were implemented relatively hassle free because of the game’s always online nature. However, now that Maxis’ simulation has begun to stabilise and many of these infantile performance hitches have been ironed out, will the company’s next patch include the ability to construct your city offline?
At the moment, neither EA nor Maxis have confirmed these potential add-ons, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to speculate. What do you think? Is it too little too late for the game? Or would you be interested in these possible additions to SimCity? Give us your thoughts below.