Reticulating splines for reticulating times: the SimCity debacle

SimCity is in shambles. Not the virtual cities built within its digital confines, mind you, but the game itself. The reboot of EA Maxis' classic SimCity this week has been a roller coaster of emotions, with positive reviews and fanfare pushing hype levels past 11... all of which fell apart just after midnight on Tuesday morning when the game launched to a crushing response from fans. Unlike many games, including previous SimCity entries, the new SimCity requires a constant connection to EA's servers. It requires a connection regardless of whether or not you choose to play with others, even -- a bold move, and one was met with much wariness among gamers when announced last year.

Given the mass popularity of the SimCity series and the glowing praise the game received ahead of release from press, it was no surprise that the sheer number of customers trying to snag the game -- and subsequently, play it -- overwhelmed EA's servers. The result? Days of choppy play, or, more often, an inability to access the game at all. Worse yet, EA's started shutting off parts of the game in hopes of lowering server loads across the board, which (understandably) angered many players. So, how did we get here?

Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software, HD

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