SimCity‘s servers were down for maintenance earlier while Maxis rolled out its long-awaited Single-Player Mode. The servers are now back up and running, automatically downloading the latest update for players the next time they log in.

This offline mode, despite originally being deemed impossible by Maxis, is now available through Update 10, which not only offers the single-player experience which was so heavily requested by players, but offers the ability for players to mod their game. This update is available at no extra cost to all players on PC and Mac.

“We’ve listened to our players and today we are delivering against their most direct feedback with the release of the new Single-Player Mode,” said Patrick Buechner, GM of Maxis Emeryville. “Player feedback has helped us deliver 10 major gameplay Updates that have improved the experience with better tuning, new features and free content. This is the most definitive SimCity experience whether you choose to play Online or Offline.”

SimCity was originally designed from the ground-up as an an “always-online, connected experience.” The game has now been re-engineered in order to move the number crunching necessary for the game to run to the player’s PC or Mac. The game’s GlassBox engine has been better optimized in order to allow players a similar experience, whether they choose to play Online or Offline.

Players of SimCity will now have a new option the next time they log in: they can either continue as before in Multiplayer Mode, or they can choose to start an entirely new City in Single-Player Mode.

“The Single-Player Mode retains the same expansive feel of the core SimCity gameplay while adding more control over when and how their progress is saved. Multiplayer Mode continues to deliver the SimCity experience that includes SimCity World, Leaderboards, Achievements, dynamic pricing of resources in the Global Market and Cloud Saves.”

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Nic Bunce

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A South African born, London raised Brit living in London. Studied Microbiology at the University of Leicester, and taught English in Japan. Jack of all trades... and we know how that idiom ends.

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