SimCity#Ports and versions

{{short description|Video game franchise}}

{{about|the video game series|particular games|SimCity (1989 video game){{!}}SimCity (1989 video game)|and|SimCity (2013 video game){{!}}SimCity (2013 video game)|the album by Susumu Hirasawa|Sim City (album){{!}}Sim City (album)}}

{{Distinguish|Sin City}}

{{Use American English|date=July 2015}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}

{{Infobox video game series

|title = SimCity

|image = Logo_of_SimCity.png

|caption = SimCity series logo (2012–14)

|developer = Maxis, Tilted Mill, Aspyr Media, Full Fat, Infogrames, Nintendo EAD, Babaroga, HAL Laboratory, Track Twenty

|publisher = Electronic Arts, Broderbund, Maxis, Nintendo, Superior Software, Acornsoft, Infogrames, Zoo Digital Publishing

|creator = Will Wright

|platforms = Windows, Linux, Mac, Wii, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Nintendo 64DD, Nintendo DS, Saturn, PlayStation 3, Palm OS, Archimedes, Acorn Electron, Amiga, CDTV, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DESQview, MS-DOS, EPOC32, FM Towns, iOS, Android, PC-98, Game Boy Advance, OLPC XO-1, OS/2, NeWS, Browser, Super NES, Tk, Unix, X11 TCL, ZX Spectrum

|first release version = SimCity

|first release date = February 2, 1989

|latest release version = SimCity: BuildIt

|latest release date = December 16, 2014

|genre = Construction and management simulation, city-building

|spinoffs = SimFarm, SimTown, Sim City: The Card Game, SimCopter, Streets of SimCity, SimsVille, The Sims

}}

SimCity is an open-ended city-building video game franchise originally designed by Will Wright. The first game in the series, SimCity, was published by Maxis in 1989 and was followed by several sequels and many other spin-off Sim titles, including 2000's The Sims, which itself became a best-selling computer game and franchise.{{cite web |url = http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/simslivinlarge/news_2857556.html |title = The Sims overtakes Myst |access-date = March 17, 2008 |last = Walker |first = Trey |date = March 22, 2002 |work=GameSpot |publisher=CNET Networks |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100119043947/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/simslivinlarge/news_2857556.html |archive-date = January 19, 2010 }} Maxis developed the series independently until 1997, and continued under the ownership of Electronic Arts until 2003. EA commissioned various spinoffs from other companies during the 2000s, focusing on console and mobile releases. A 2013 EA-Maxis reboot was subject to what has been described as "one of the most disastrous launches in history", which may have triggered the 2015 shutdown of Maxis Emeryville and the end of the franchise.{{Cite web|last=Kuosmanen|first=Ville|date=2020-02-13|title=Why SimCity died — and how an indie developer saved the city-building genre|url=https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/why-simcity-died-and-how-an-indie-developer-saved-the-city-building-genre-2163ae2f07a1|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Medium|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/3/4/8149791/ea-closes-maxis-simcity-the-sims|title=EA shuts down Maxis Emeryville, studio behind SimCity (update)|first=Samit|last=Sarkar|date=March 4, 2015|website=Polygon}}

Gameplay

SimCity titles are real-time management and construction simulators. Across most titles, the player (acting as mayor) is given a blank map to begin and must expand the city with the budget provided. As the city matures, the player may be able to add government and other special buildings (such as a mayor's house or courthouse), depending on how large the city is. Proper management of the city requires citizens to be provided with basic utilities (electricity, water and sometimes waste management) along with public services such as health, education, safety, parks and leisure facilities. These are provided by building relevant buildings or infrastructure, with each building covering a circular "range" in its vicinity. Inadequate funding of these services can lead to strikes or even urban decline.

The primary source of income is taxation, though some income can be generated by legalizing gambling or placing certain "special" buildings such as military bases or prisons. The player may make deals with neighboring cities to sell or buy services, as long as a connection is made to the neighbor for that service, such as electricity cables. The player may have to deal with disasters, such as fires and tornadoes, or fictional crises such as monster attacks. SimCity titles are predominantly single-player games, with a few exceptions, including the "Network Edition" of SimCity 2000, the Unix port of the original SimCity, and SimCity (2013).See [https://web.archive.org/web/20030103013153/http://catalog.com/hopkins/simcity/simcity-announcement.html Unix port of SimCity] SimCity 4 provided a limited form of multiplayer gaming with the ability to share regional maps and cities with other players, allowing players to collaborate, but not to interact in real-time gameplay.{{cite web |url = http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc_retrospective.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100329231603/http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc_retrospective.php |archive-date = March 29, 2010 |title = History of Simcity (page 1) |access-date=March 20, 2008 |website = SimCity.com }}{{cite web |url = http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc3k_retrospective.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090312093138/http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc3k_retrospective.php |archive-date = March 12, 2009 |title = History of Simcity (page 2) |access-date = March 20, 2008 |website = SimCity.com }}{{cite web |url = http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc4_retrospective.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100411080445/http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc4_retrospective.php |archive-date = April 11, 2010 |title = History of Simcity (page 3) |access-date = March 20, 2008 |website = SimCity.com }}

Depending on the title, there may scenarios with city performance-related goals and time limits in which to complete them.

{{Anchor|Versions|PC and Mac versions}}

Development history

{{Video game timeline

| subtitle = Main series in bold

| 1989 = SimCity

| 1993a = SimCity 2000

| 1993b = SimFarm

| 1995 = SimTown

| 1996 = SimCopter

| 1997 = Streets of SimCity

| 1999 = SimCity 3000

| 2000 = SimCity 64

| 2003a = SimCity 4

| 2003b = SimCity 4: Rush Hour

| 2007a = SimCity DS

| 2007b = SimCity Societies

| 2008a = SimCity Creator (DS)

| 2008b = SimCity Creator (Wii)

| 2012 = SimCity Social

| 2013a = SimCity

| 2013b = SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow

| 2014 = SimCity: BuildIt

}}

= Under independent development (1985–1997) =

{{Main|SimCity (1989 video game)}}

File:SimCity Mac.png

Development of the original SimCity began in 1985 under game designer Will Wright, and the game was published in 1989.{{cite web |url= http://members.chello.at/theodor.lauppert/games/simcity.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110515070940/http://members.chello.at/theodor.lauppert/games/simcity.htm |archive-date= May 15, 2011 |title= SimCity (1989) |access-date=March 20, 2008 }} Wright was inspired by a map creation feature of the game Raid on Bungeling Bay that led him to discover that he enjoyed creating maps more than playing the actual game.{{cite web |url = http://www.gamespot.com/features/maxis/index.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100110051049/http://www.gamespot.com/features/maxis/index.html |archive-date=January 10, 2010 |title=SIMply Divine |access-date=June 7, 2008 |author=Geoff Keighley }} While developing SimCity, Wright cultivated a love of the intricacies and theories of urban planning{{cite web |title = Inside Scoop – The History of SimCity |url = http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc_retrospective.php |publisher=Electronic Arts Inc |access-date=March 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100329231603/http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc_retrospective.php |archive-date=March 29, 2010 |df=mdy-all }} and acknowledged the influence of Jay Wright Forrester's book Urban Dynamics.{{cite book |last=Forrester |first=Jay W. |title=Urban dynamics |year=1969 |publisher=MIT |location=Cambridge, Mass.|isbn=0-262-06026-4 }}{{cite book |title=Space time play computer games, architecture and urbanism : the next level |year=2007 |publisher=Birkhauser|location=Basel |isbn=978-3-7643-8415-9 |editor1=Borries, Friedrich |editor2=Walz, Steffen P. |editor3=Böttger, Matthias |contribution=Playing with Urban Life |last = Lobo |first = Daniel G. |doi = 10.1007/978-3-7643-8415-9_74 }} In addition, Wright was inspired by reading "The Seventh Sally", a short story by Stanisław Lem from The Cyberiad, published in the collection The Mind's I, in which an engineer encounters a deposed tyrant, and creates a miniature city with artificial citizens for the tyrant to oppress.{{cite news

|url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4D71F3AF936A25755C0A96F948260

|title = Making City Planning a Game

|website = The New York Times

|access-date=May 18, 2007

|first=Julie

|last=Lew

|date=June 15, 1989

|url-status=live

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071013085818/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4D71F3AF936A25755C0A96F948260

|archive-date=October 13, 2007

}}

The first version of the game was developed for the Commodore 64 under the working title Micropolis.{{cite web |url = http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc_retrospective02.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090312093210/http://simcity.ea.com/about/inside_scoop/sc_retrospective02.php |archive-date = March 12, 2009 |title = Inside scoop: The History of SimCity (page two) |website = SimCity.com |access-date = December 17, 2006 }}{{cite web |url = http://simcity.ea.com/community/events/will_wright_01_08_04.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091031231900/http://simcity.ea.com/community/events/will_wright_01_08_04.php |archive-date=October 31, 2009 |title = Will Wright Chat Transcript |work=simcity.ea.com |access-date=November 8, 2007 |url-status=dead }} The game represented an unusual paradigm in computer gaming, in that it could neither be won nor lost; as a result, game publishers did not believe it was possible to market and sell such a game successfully. Broderbund declined to publish the title when Wright proposed it, and he pitched it to a range of major game publishers without success. Founder Jeff Braun of then-tiny Maxis agreed to publish SimCity as one of two initial games for the company. Wright and Braun returned to Broderbund to formally clear the rights to the game in 1988, when SimCity was near completion. Broderbund executives Gary Carlston and Don Daglow saw that the title was infectious and fun, and signed Maxis to a distribution deal for both of its initial games. With that, four years after initial development, SimCity was released for the Amiga and Macintosh platforms, followed by the IBM PC and Commodore 64 later in 1989.

SimCity was released in 1990 on the ZX Spectrum 48K and 128K by Infogrames. The SNES port was very similar to the original edition but had some unique features, including Reward buildings, a Mario statue and possible attacks by a giant Bowser.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

The unexpected and enduring success of the original SimCity, combined with other "Sim" titles' relative lack of success at the time, motivated the development of a sequel. SimCity 2000 released in 1993{{cite web |title = SimCity History |url = http://www.simcity.com/en_US/game/history |website=simcity.com |date = October 19, 2016 |publisher=Electronic Arts |access-date=16 April 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170221102300/http://www.simcity.com/en_US/game/history |archive-date=February 21, 2017 }} with an isometric view instead of overhead. Underground layers were introduced for water pipes and subways, along with many new buildings, more elaborate financial controls and many other improvements.{{cite web |url = http://pc.ign.com/objects/003/003814.html |title = SimCity 2000 |access-date=March 20, 2008 |website = IGN.com |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071122155625/http://pc.ign.com/objects/003/003814.html |archive-date=November 22, 2007 }}

= Continued releases under Electronic Arts (1997–2003) =

Maxis was purchased by Electronic Arts in 1997, and the company would gain control of the SimCity brand. Will Wright continued to work at the company, moving on to work on The Sims, with development on future SimCity titles being led by other Maxis staff such as Christine McGavran. The next title, SimCity 3000 was released in 1999. It introduced many features, including waste management, agriculture, business deals and expanded inter-city relations. The game maintained the pseudo-isometric dimetric perspective of its predecessor, though the landscape became more complex and colorful.

The Japanese exclusive SimCity 64 was released in 2000 and featured the ability to view the city at night, pedestrian level free-roaming, and individual road vehicles and pedestrians (which could only be seen while in the free-roaming mode). Cities in the game were also presented in 3D hybrid graphics, a first for the franchise.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

SimCity 4 was released on January 14, 2003. Among various changes, cities were now located in regions, which were divided into individual segments. Each region represents the metropolitan area of a city, while individual segment maps represented districts.{{cite web |url = http://sc4ever.com/knowledge/showarticle.cfm?id=1103 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100329180326/http://www.sc4ever.com/knowledge/showarticle.cfm?id=1103 |archive-date=March 29, 2010 |date=June 17, 2003 |access-date=October 2, 2006 |title=Creating regions in SimCity 4 |last=Quigley |first=Ocean |author2=D.B. Robinson |website = SimCity 4 Resource Center|quote=A small city is a kilometer on a side }} The zoning system was updated, and buildings were classified into several wealth levels, types, and building size stages, which were affected by the region's population and condition. Urban decay and gentrification were simulated with buildings deteriorating or improving accordingly. Residents and neighborhoods were transferrable between SimCity 4 and The Sims 2.{{cite web |url = http://www.answers.com/topic/simcity-4?cat=entertainment |title=SimCity 4 |access-date=March 20, 2008 |website = Answers.com |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100722065219/http://www.answers.com/topic/simcity-4?cat=entertainment |archive-date=July 22, 2010 }}

= ''Societies'' and portable spinoffs (2007–2011) =

After the release of SimCity 4, EA had Tilted Mill Entertainment develop the next major title in the franchise, rather than Maxis. The group developed SimCity Societies (2007), which was significantly different from prior games, owing to a small-scale social engineering focus and less detailed simulation. Rather than placing zones, buildings were constructed individually for example, similar to Monte Cristo's game City Life. Six "social energies", called societal values, allowed players to learn about the characteristics of the citizens.{{cite web |url = http://simcity.ea.com/about.php?languageCode=1 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080406170151/http://simcity.ea.com/about.php?languageCode=1 |archive-date=April 6, 2008 |title = SimCity Societies Official Site |access-date=September 19, 2007}} Cities behaviour responded to the energies the players chose and the reward system from SimCity 2000 returned.{{cite web |url = http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3160151 |title = SimCity Societies PC Preview |publisher=1Up.com |date=June 7, 2007 |access-date=June 8, 2007 }} The game was met with mixed reviews.{{cite web|title=SimCity Societies|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/939939-simcity-societies/index.html|publisher=GameRankings|access-date=2010-08-04}}{{cite web |url = http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3160151 |title= DPreviews: SimCity Societies |date=June 7, 2007 | access-date=June 11, 2007 }} Wright, at the time developing Spore, later commented on the move away from Maxis: "I didn't have anything to do with that decision. Honestly, I didn't even play Societies. I read some of the reviews of it, though."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/03/04/25-years-of-maxis-living-the-simulated-dream.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305190136/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/03/04/25-years-of-maxis-living-the-simulated-dream.aspx|url-status=live|archive-date=March 5, 2015|title=25 Years of Maxis – Living the Simulated Dream|first=Joe|last=Juba|magazine=Game Informer}}

SimCity DS, a heavily modified version of SimCity 3000, was released that year. The game made use of the handheld's dual screen to display additional interfaces at once. System specific features were prominent, such as the microphone, which was used to blow out fires, and the touch screen, which was used to control the interface.{{cite web |url = http://ds.ign.com/objects/851/851724.html |title=SimCity DS |access-date=March 20, 2008 |website = IGN.com |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080405165048/http://ds.ign.com/objects/851/851724.html |archive-date=April 5, 2008 }} A 2008 sequel introduced a challenge mode in which players guided their city through different historical periods.{{cite web|date=May 29, 2008|title=SimCity Creator Details|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/877/877617p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602080857/http://wii.ign.com/articles/877/877617p1.html|archive-date=June 2, 2008|access-date=May 30, 2008|publisher=IGN}} For instance, the player could create a medieval city, or a pre-historic city.{{cite web|title=SimCity DS 2|url=http://www.ds-x2.com/index.php?id=10935/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080407170946/http://www.ds-x2.com/index.php?id=10935%2F|archive-date=April 7, 2008|access-date=March 20, 2008|website=DS-x2.com|df=mdy-all}}

On January 10, 2008, the source code of the original game was released under the free software GPL 3 license.{{cite web |url = http://weblogs.asp.net/bsimser/archive/2008/01/10/simcity-source-code-released-to-the-wild-let-the-ports-begin.aspx |title = Fear and Loathing - SimCity Source Code Released to the Wild! Let the ports begin... |date = January 10, 2008 |access-date=April 18, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140510093537/http://weblogs.asp.net/bsimser/archive/2008/01/10/simcity-source-code-released-to-the-wild-let-the-ports-begin.aspx |archive-date=May 10, 2014 }} The release of the source code was related to the donation of SimCity software to the One Laptop Per Child laptop, as one of the principles of the OLPC laptop is the use of free and open source software. The open source version was called Micropolis, since EA retained the trademark SimCity.

SimCity Creator for the Wii was announced on February 12, 2008.{{cite web |url = http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/51288 |title = New Sim Titles Unveiled: SimCity Creator, MySims Kingdom, MySims Party, SimAnimals, Sims Next-Gen |last=Faylor |first=Chris |publisher=Shacknews |date=February 12, 2008 |access-date=February 26, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080512040131/http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/51288 |archive-date=May 12, 2008 }} The title featured the ability to directly draw roads and train tracks on the ground using the pointer function of the Wii Remote, as well as several customizable themes for the city's buildings. It was released worldwide in September 2008.{{cite web |url = http://wii.ign.com/articles/877/877239p1.html |title = Sim City Wii Revealed |publisher=IGN |date=May 28, 2008 |access-date=May 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080531040125/http://wii.ign.com/articles/877/877239p1.html |archive-date=May 31, 2008 }}

The late 2000s and early 2010s also saw several games re-released for mobile devices. This included SimCity 3000 (2008), SimCity Deluxe (2010), and SimCity 4 for Blackberry playbook (2011).{{cn|date=November 2022}}

= Reboot (2012–2014) =

SimCity{{'}}s sixth major release was announced on March 5, 2012, for Windows and Mac OS X by Maxis at the "game changers" event.{{cite web |url = http://www.gamespot.com/news/simcity-returns-in-2013-6364896 |title = SimCity returns in 2013 |publisher=GameSpot |date=March 6, 2012 |access-date=March 6, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120310073532/http://www.gamespot.com/news/simcity-returns-in-2013-6364896 |archive-date=March 10, 2012 }} Titled SimCity, it was a dramatic departure from previous SimCity games, featuring full 3D graphics, online multiplayer gameplay, the new Glassbox engine, as well as many other feature and gameplay changes. Director Ocean Quigley discussed issues that occurred during the development of the title, which stemmed from two conflicting visions coming from EA and Maxis. EA wanted to emphasize multiplayer, collaborative gameplay, with some of the simulation work conducted on remote servers, in part to combat piracy. In contrast, Maxis wanted to focus on graphical improvements with the new title. Quigley described the resultant title as a poor compromise between these two objectives- with only shallow multiplayer features, and a small city size limit- one quarter of the land area of previous titles in the franchise.{{cite web|title=SimCity - EA|date=October 19, 2016 |url=http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/state-of-simcity|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603032804/http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/state-of-simcity|archive-date=June 3, 2017|access-date=April 18, 2017}}

The game was released for Windows on March 5, 2013, and on Mac in August.{{cite web |title = SimCity pre-order page |url = http://www.simcity.com/en_US/buy/simcity |publisher=Electronic Arts / Maxis |access-date=December 1, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031185956/http://www.simcity.com/en_US/buy/simcity |archive-date=October 31, 2012 }}{{cite web|title=SimCity for Mac planned for spring, features co-op play with Windows |date = January 29, 2013 |url = http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/simcity-for-mac-planned-for-spring-features-co-op-play-with-windows/ |publisher=Digital Trends |access-date=January 31, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130202023800/http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/simcity-for-mac-planned-for-spring-features-co-op-play-with-windows/ |archive-date=February 2, 2013 }}{{cite web |title = SimCity Mac Update and Beyond |url = http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/simcity-mac-update-and-beyond |publisher=Maxis |access-date=June 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131010030600/http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/simcity-mac-update-and-beyond |archive-date=October 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }} Medium would later refer to the release as "one of the most disastrous launches in history". The game required a constant internet connection even during single-player activity, and server outages caused connection errors for many users. Multiplayer elements were "shallow at best", with departing players leaving abandoned cities behind in public regions. Users were unable to save their game- with the servers instead intended to handle this- and so when users were disconnected they would often lose hours of progress.{{Cite web|title=SimCity (2013) Review|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/59266-simcity-2013-review|access-date=2021-09-09|website=GameRevolution|date=March 6, 2013 }} The game was also plagued by numerous bugs, which persisted long after launch.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-25-the-funny-bugs-of-simcity-post-update-2-0|title=The funny bugs of SimCity - post update 2.0|first=Wesley|last=Yin-Poole|website=Eurogamer |date=April 25, 2013}}

The title was heavily criticized in user reviews, and developer plans for post-launch updates were scrapped. EA announced that they would offer a free game from their library to all those who bought SimCity as compensation for the problems, and they concurred that the way the launch had been set up was "dumb".{{cite news|title=EA apologises over 'dumb' SimCity launch|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21741528|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130311170459/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21741528|archive-date=March 11, 2013|work=BBC News|date=March 11, 2013 }} As a result of this problem, Amazon temporarily stopped selling the game in the week after release.{{cite web|title=Sim-plify Matters: Amazon Suspends Digital Sales of SimCity As Australia Joins The Queue|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2013/03/07/amazon-suspends-digital-sales-of-simcity/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310041740/http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2013/03/07/amazon-suspends-digital-sales-of-simcity/|archive-date=March 10, 2013|access-date=March 7, 2013|work=Forbes|df=mdy-all}} The always-online requirement, even in single play, was highly criticised, particularly after gamers determined that the internet connection requirement could be easily removed.{{cite web|title=SimCity Servers Not Necessary |url = http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/12/simcity-server-not-necessary |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date = March 12, 2013 |access-date=March 12, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175038/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/12/simcity-server-not-necessary/ |archive-date=March 13, 2013 |last1 = Walker |first1 = John }} An offline mode was subsequently made available by EA in March 2014, and a mobile port entitled SimCity: BuildIt was released later that year.{{cite web |title = SimCity Offline Mode |url = http://coinpixels.com/news/simcity-offline-mode/ |publisher=CoinPixels |access-date=January 12, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140117124522/http://coinpixels.com/news/simcity-offline-mode/ |archive-date=January 17, 2014 }}{{cite web |title = SimCity Blog |url = http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/simcity-offline-is-coming |publisher=Electronic Arts |access-date=January 12, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140115042152/http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/simcity-offline-is-coming |archive-date=January 15, 2014 }}{{cite web |url = http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/18/5521834/simcity-offline-mode-update-10-now-rolling-out |title = SimCity's offline mode now available (update) |website = Polygon |date=March 18, 2014 |access-date=April 18, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223195256/http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/18/5521834/simcity-offline-mode-update-10-now-rolling-out |archive-date=February 23, 2017 }}

It has been suggested that the poor performance of SimCity was responsible for the 2015 closure of Maxis' Emeryville studios, and the end of the franchise.{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/why-simcity-died-and-how-an-indie-developer-saved-the-city-building-genre-2163ae2f07a1|title=Why SimCity died — and how an indie developer saved the city-building genre|first=Ville|last=Kuosmanen|date=February 13, 2020|website=Medium}}{{Cite web|last=Welch|first=Chris|date=2015-03-04|title=EA is shutting down the studio that created The Sims|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/4/8149827/ea-closing-maxis-emeryville|access-date=2021-09-09|website=The Verge|language=en}}

Spin-offs

{{Main|List of Sim video games}}

During the 1990s a large number of games were developed under the "Sim" nomenclature started by Maxis in 1989. This list includes only spin-offs that directly relate to SimCity.

= ''Sim City: The Card Game'' (1995) =

Sim City: The Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game based on the video game SimCity.{{Citation

| last1 = Owens

| first1 = Thomas S.

| last2 = Helmer

| first2 = Diana Star

| title = Inside Collectible Card Games

| year = 1996

| pages = 53, 55–59, 120

| postscript =.

}} It was released in 1995 by Mayfair Games. Several city expansions followed, adding location and politician cards from various cities including: Chicago, Washington, New York City, and Atlanta. A Toronto expansion was planned but never released.{{cite web |url = http://www.mayfairgames.com/mfg-shop/ccgs/simcity/qps/mfg-about.html |title= SimCity |access-date = March 20, 2008 |publisher= Mayfair Games |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071229092919/http://www.mayfairgames.com/mfg-shop/ccgs/simcity/qps/mfg-about.html |archive-date = December 29, 2007 }} Allen Varney of The Duelist said it offers "fine solitaire play" and that the game eventually offered stand-alone city sets.{{Citation |last = Varney |first = Allen |title = Inside the Industry |pages = 83 |newspaper = The Duelist |date = February 1997 |issue = #15 }}

= ''SimTown'' (1995) =

{{Main|SimTown}}

SimTown is a 1995 video game published by Maxis, much like SimCity but on a smaller scale.{{Cite book |last=Wolf |first=Mark J. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eRnOEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT813 |title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming [3 volumes] |date=2021-05-24 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA |isbn=979-8-216-16182-0 |page=813 |language=en}} SimTown allows the player to construct a town consisting of streets, houses, businesses and parks and control the people in it. SimTown was targeted more towards children.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

= ''SimCopter'' (1996) =

{{Main|SimCopter}}

SimCopter puts the player in the role of a helicopter pilot. There are two modes of play: free mode and career mode. The free mode lets the player import and fly through imported SimCity 2000 cities or any of the 30 cities supplied with the game. However, user cities sometimes need to be designed with SimCopter in mind, and most of the time the player must increase the number of police stations, fire stations, and hospitals to allow for speedier dispatches. The second mode—the heart of the game—is the career mode. This puts the player in the shoes of a pilot doing various jobs around the city. The game is notable for being the debut of the Simlish language.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

The game gained controversy when a designer named Jacques Servin inserted sprites of shirtless "himbos" (male bimbos) in Speedo trunks who hugged and kissed each other and appeared in great numbers from time to time.{{cite news| title = The First Hot Coffee| work = PC Gamer| publisher = Future Publishing| page = 62| date= March 2007}} The easter egg was caught shortly after release and removed from future copies of the game.

= ''Streets of SimCity'' (1997) =

{{Main|Streets of SimCity}}

Streets of SimCity is a 1997 racing and vehicular combat computer game published by Maxis. One of the game's main attractions was the ability to explore any cities created in SimCity 2000 by car in a cinematic style. The game, like SimCopter, is in full 3D and the player's vehicle can be controlled using a keyboard, a joystick, or a gamepad. Another notable feature is the game's network mode, in which players can play deathmatches with up to seven other individuals. It is one of the few games in the Maxis series that Will Wright did not work on, and the last Maxis game to be developed and released without supervision by Electronic Arts{{cite web |url = http://www.gamespot.com/features/maxis/page9.html |title = SIMply Divine: The story of Maxis Software; page 9: A New Focus, a New Mission |work=Geoff Keighley and GameSpot |access-date=February 5, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050404192320/http://www.gamespot.com/features/maxis/page9.html |archive-date=April 4, 2005 }} (which acquired Maxis in 1997 and "assisted" development of Maxis games thereafter).

= ''The Sims'' franchise (2000–present) =

{{Main|The Sims}}

Originating as a spinoff, The Sims quickly evolved into one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. Early releases retained a level of interconnectivity with SimCity, such as the ability to transfer neighborhoods from SimCity 4 to The Sims 2. A crossover title, SimsVille, was earmarked for 2001 and would have allowed the player to build the city, as well as make sims and play them. The game was cancelled so that Maxis could focus on future Sims expansions, and development for The Sims 2.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

= SimCityEDU (2013) =

SimCityEDU: Pollution Challenge! is an educational version of SimCity designed by GlassLab.{{Cite web |last=Gaston |first=Martin |title=SimCityEDU: Pollution Challenge! released for schools |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/simcityedu-pollution-challenge-released-for-schools/1100-6416029/ |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}

Reception

{{Video game series reviews

| updated = September 14, 2021

| game1 = SimCity (1989)

| gr1 = (SNES) 77{{Cite web|url=https://gr.blade.sk/#/|title=Gamerankings Archived Scores Browser|website=gr.blade.sk}}

| mc1 = —

| game2 = SimCity 2000

| gr2 = (PC) 72

| mc2 = —

| game3 = SimCity 3000

| gr3 = (PC) 83

| mc3 = (PC) 77{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/simcity-3000-unlimited/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=SimCity 3000 Unlimited|website=Metacritic}}

| game4 = SimCity 4

| gr4 = (PC) 85

| mc4 = (PC) 84{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/simcity-4/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=SimCity 4|website=Metacritic}}

| game5 = SimCity Societies

| gr5 = (PC) 72

| mc5 = (PC) 63{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/simcity-societies/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=SimCity Societies|website=Metacritic}}

| game6 = SimCity (2013)

| gr6 = (PC) 63

| mc6 = (PC) 64{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/simcity/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=SimCity|website=Metacritic}}

}}

The first two games were well received and sold well during the 1990s, with the franchise achieving a total of 5 million sales by 1999.{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com:80/news/6673.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000831093029/http://pc.ign.com/news/6673.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 31, 2000|title=pc.ign.com: News Briefs|date=August 31, 2000|access-date=November 22, 2021}} SimCity 2000 in particular was among the highest selling games of the 1990s, and in 2018 was featured at #86 of IGN's top 100 video games of all time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-games|title=Top 100 Video Games of All Time - IGN.com|via=www.ign.com}}{{cite book | author=Dunnigan, James F. | author-link=Jim Dunnigan | date=January 3, 2000 | title=Wargames Handbook, Third Edition: How to Play and Design Commercial and Professional Wargames | publisher=Writers Club Press |pages=14–17 }}SimCity 4 (2003) marked the high point in the franchise's GameRankings score at 85. The 2013 reboot was very poorly received, with Green Man Gaming comparing its effect on the franchise to the destruction of the city of Pompeii.{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenmangaming.com/blog/simcity-retrospective/|title=SimCity Retrospective|date=March 9, 2020|website=Green Man Gaming}}

Criticism

The SimCity franchise has often been criticized for both the content its underlying mathematical models (most of which were drawn from Jay Forrester's Urban Dynamics) and for keeping them obfuscated to promote an image of 'realism'.{{Cite web |last=Ashley |first=Clayton |date=2021-04-01 |title=The ideology hiding in SimCity’s black box |url=https://www.polygon.com/videos/2021/4/1/22352583/simcity-hidden-politics-ideology-urban-dynamics |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}} The mathematical models are built on certain premises such as low taxes promoting growth and simply adding police stations reducing crime nearby, which may not be the case.{{Cite web |title=SimCity's Impact and Evolution |url=https://www.planetizen.com/news/2019/03/103276-simcity-s-impact-and-evolution |website=www.planetizen.com}} Sociologist Paul Starr wrote he was "worried that the game’s underlying code was an 'unreachable black box' which could 'seduce' players into accepting its assumptions."{{Cite web |title=Model Metropolis |url=https://logicmag.io/play/model-metropolis/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=Logic(s) Magazine}} Certain players have pushed the limits of those 'black box' algorithms and found that the game's metrics for success (crime rates, economic growth) do not include things such as public health and citizen happiness.

Will Wright stated in an interview with Tristan Donovan that "SimCity was always meant to be a caricature of the way a city works, not a realistic model of the way a city works."{{Cite web |title=The Replay Interviews: Will Wright |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/the-replay-interviews-will-wright |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.gamedeveloper.com |language=en}} Despite that, the series was still marketed as being 'realistic', with the tagline for SimCity 2000 reading “If this game was any more realistic, it’d be illegal to turn it off!”{{Cite web |title=SimCity and “possibility spaces”: reshaping how we build the worlds around us |url=https://blog.glitch.com/post/how-we-build-worlds-simcity-ibm-anniversary/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=blog.glitch.com |language=en}} There have been several examples of real-world politicians having their city planning policies tested in SimCity, with the assumption that its models are realistic. Prominent politicians who have been 'tested' through SimCity include former mayor of Warsaw and president of Poland Lech Kaczyński, former mayor of Providence, Rhode Island Buddy Cianci, and German Bundestag members Lars Klingbeil, Dorothee Bär, and Jimmy Schulz.{{Cite web |last=Koebler |first=Jason |date=2015-05-08 |title=The Real Mayors of 'SimCity' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-real-mayors-of-simcity/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Campaigning in SimCity – DW – 07/13/2013 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/campaigning-in-simcity/a-16948354 |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=dw.com |language=en}}

Legacy

The franchise has been credited with inspiring a generation of urban planners, transport officials, and local government figures, who experienced the games at a younger age and took on those careers in later life.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/business/from-video-game-to-day-job-how-simcity-inspired-a-generation-of-city-planners/|title=From video game to day job: How SimCity inspired a generation of city planners|website=www.thegazette.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-simcity-inspired-urban-planners-20190305-story.html|title=Must Reads: From video game to day job: How 'SimCity' inspired a generation of city planners|date=March 5, 2019|website=Los Angeles Times}} Various editions of the game have been used in education to simulate urban planning for students in elementary through college classes.{{Cite journal|last=Bereitschaft|first=Bradley|date=2016-03-03|title=Gods of the City? Reflecting on City Building Games as an Early Introduction to Urban Systems|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2015.1070366|journal=Journal of Geography|volume=115|issue=2|pages=51–60|doi=10.1080/00221341.2015.1070366|bibcode=2016JGeog.115...51B |s2cid=53361885|issn=0022-1341}}

While there were a handful of city-building games before 1989, SimCity popularized the genre and laid the groundwork for many titles inspired by it, including Cities: Skylines (2015), which was greenlit after the poor reception of the reboot.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/cities-skylines-greenlit-after-what-happened-to-simcity//|title=Cities: Skylines greenlit 'after what happened to SimCity' | PC Gamer|website=PC Gamer|date=March 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331151727/http://www.pcgamer.com/cities-skylines-greenlit-after-what-happened-to-simcity//|archive-date=March 31, 2017}} More broadly, the lack of a win condition in favor of open-ended play was a novelty at the time that gave rise to Maxis' "software toys" design concept, which influenced many other titles from the company.{{Cite journal|title=Challenge Everything? Construction Play in Will Wright's SIMCITY|first=Maaike|last=Lauwaert|date=July 2007|citeseerx=10.1.1.87.1243}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}