A checklist for a terrible game launch experience:
• Disallow pre-loading of game files before release. <CHECK!>
• Game unlock codes can’t be validated even after the game has been released. <CHECK!>
• Delay unlocking game downloads well after the game has been released. <CHECK!>
• Unreasonably long connection times. <CHECK!>
• Random server disconnects during gameplay. <CHECK!>
• Can’t play the game without having an always online connection to the SimCity servers, even if you plan on building cities by yourself. <CHECK!>
• Cities can only be saved online, with no ability to load saves or revert any changes made to a city/region. <CHECK!>
• Cities and regions that were created previously randomly disappear and are gone forever. <CHECK!>
• Cities and regions are only available to the server you create them on. <CHECK!>
• Can’t send region invites to your friends online. <CHECK!>
• Friends must play on the same server to be able invite or send messages to them. <CHECK!>
• Limited to the default game regions; no ability to make custom maps or regions. <CHECK!>
• Set the price of the standard game version at an excessively high price of $59.99 and call it a “Limited Edition” without any real extras or benefits provided. <CHECK!>
• Tell customers that additions to the gameplay (i.e. larger maps, more regions) will be available in the future as DLCs (likely not free) <CHECK!>
• Lie to customers and press that your servers are ready and fully capable to handle launch day. <CHECK!>
Thanks EA for the bringing us one of the worst game launches ever.
There’s a lot more that I could complain about this game, but I’ll let NBC News sum it all up: NBC News – Permit denied! ‘SimCity’ servers overloaded as building gets under way