‘SimCity’ Offline Mode Could Become A Reality
An offline version of SimCity might be on the away after all.
The folks at Electronic Arts drew the ire of many gamers when it forced them to play the latest version of the city simulator online. After a considerable amount of backlash, it would seem the developers are thinking about adding an offline mode in an upcoming expansion.
The Escapist reports that many SimCity players received a survey about the proposed add-on not too long ago. Apparently EA is trying to figure out what features most gamers would like to see incorporate into the experience down the road.
In addition to an offline Classic mode, the proposed expansion pack could include such features as bigger cities, cooperative multiplayer city building, and a God Mode complete with terraforming. In other words, it’s all of the stuff that should have been included in the first place.
According to Mashable, one of the new SimCity features EA discusses in the survey is called “Cities Without Boundaries.” If this feature is implemented, then players will be able to build a metropolis that extends as far as the eye can see.
EA’s interest in adding an offline mode to SimCity is surprising given the company’s stance just a few months ago. When the game launched earlier this year, Maxis General Manager Lucy Bradshaw boldly stated that an offline mode simply wasn’t possible. It didn’t take fans and modders very long to prove her wrong.
She also stated that fans seemed more interested in a “connected” experience than playing by themselves offline. Bradshaw addressed this issue with the following blog post:
We did not focus on the “single city in isolation” that we have delivered in past ‘SimCities.’ We recognize that there are fans –- people who love the original ‘SimCity’ -– who want that. But we’re also hearing from thousands of people who are playing across regions, trading, communicating and loving the Always-Connected functionality. The ‘SimCity’ we delivered captures the magic of its heritage but catches up with ever-improving technology.
As of this writing, the SimCity expansion hasn’t been officially announced. Are you excited that Maxis and EA are interested in adding an offline mode to the game?
