SYDNEY, Australia. – Jan. 18, 2013 – The day that Mayors have been clamoring for is almost here – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) today announced that the SimCity™ beta will run from January 26 – January 28. Those who previously signed up are already in consideration for access to the beta, limited slots are still available for late applicants. Eager fans who want to get an advance look at SimCity have a limited time to sign up at <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.simcity.com/beta”>www.simcity.com/beta before the application process ends at 1pm (EAT), on January 21*. Developed by Maxis, SimCity will be available March 7 in Australia and March 8 in New Zealand and is available for pre-order right now.
“It is always an exciting moment to share a game that is still in development with its biggest fans prior to launch,” said Lucy Bradshaw, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s Maxis Label. “This beta will help the team improve the live service aspects of SimCity to ensure a smooth and user-friendly experience at launch. I want to thank everyone for signing up – we are excited to share one of our most beloved franchises with our fans.”
Running from 4am (EAT) on January 26 until 7pm (EAT) on January 28, the SimCity beta offers fans the chance to play a one hour slice of the game** and to deliver feedback that will help shape the final product. As a live service, SimCity will continue to provide updates that evolve the experience, delivering a dynamic platform that grows and expands over time. For more details about the beta head over to <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.simcity.com/beta”>www.simcity.com/beta.
Developed by the renowned Maxis studio in Emeryville, SimCity delivers unprecedented depth of simulation with the new GlassBox Engine, where everything is simulated, up to 100,000 individual Sims in a city, to every Kilowatt of power pulsing through a region of cities. The model-like world and detail of the simulation make this the most responsive and personal SimCity ever. This is also the most expansive city management game yet where multi-city gameplay across regions delivers a larger playing field. Play a single city or up to 16 cities at once each with different specializations, it’s your choice. What kind of Mayor will you be?
Multiplayer is also a first for the series, which adds a new dimension to the game, as decisions impact both the city and the region, creating new ways to play by collaborating or competing to earn achievements and to top leaderboards. Whether you play by yourself, with your friends or the rest of the world, SimCity introduces an infinite world of possibilities.
SimCity has been rated G by the OFLC. To stay up-to-date on the latest regarding SimCity, and to pre-order now, please visit <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.SimCity.com”>www.SimCity.com and <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.facebook.com/SimCity”>http://www.facebook.com/SimCity.
*Conditions and restrictions apply. See <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.simcity.com/beta”>www.simcity.com/betadisclaimer for details.
**Beta players can play the one-hour slice of the game multiple times during the beta period.