News

SimCity suffers disastrous launch
Posted: 06.03.2013 05:14 by JonahFalcon Comments: 38
SimCity's launch has been a disaster, and chiefly due to its always online nature. Gamers have had trouble installing the game; even gamers installing from disc couldn't complete installation without some online files. Those who did install the game waited on long queues just to play - even if they wanted to play solo.

EA had placed a post titled, "The Benefits of Live Service", and explained everything, including the simulation engine, was server side.

The situation has been so bad, Electronic Arts is even offering a refund for the game. One site even reduced their 9.5 review score to 8 due to the online issues.

Stay tuned as this issue is in flux.

Source: GamesRadar
Related games: SimCity (2013) (PC)

Comments

By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
SirRoderick
Always on DRM, this is what that does. I mean who the hell hasn't predicted the server issues?
By danfreeman (SI Core) on Mar 06, 2013
danfreeman
I`m surprised EA is actually giving refunds,guess they don`t want to be voted worst company again eh?
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
SirRoderick
Well Origin STILL won't let me choose my own language...well they do, but it doesn't actually change any of the localisation or even the store pages, just the UI. I literally can't buy a game I would enjoy from them since I would get a localised version
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
nocutius
At least they're offering refunds so that's good.

A part of me is laughing at this but I know it's mostly hurting the people that just want to play the game.

Best case scenario would be if EA realized the folly of always-online DRM but that probably wont happen. So hopefully this will be a massive learning experience for them so they figure out the technical issues so future titles don't suffer this way.

Considering Ubisoft mostly gave up on their always-online DRM there actually is some hope for EA to do the same though.
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
djole381
No surprise here as this game is basically a MMO, not a Singleplayer.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
SirRoderick
It is singleplayer, with multiplayer functions shoehorned in and forced on you.

And I still want to play it...as soon as the server problems get cleared up
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
djole381
What I meant to say is that this game is more MMO than Singleplayer. It has all features of MMO - you have to be online to be able to play, server side engine etc...
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
SirRoderick
Fact that.

I just need to know that I can get the English version...I am NOT playing a Dutch or French game -_-
By lichlord (SI Core) on Mar 06, 2013
lichlord
@sirRoderick same thing i had with Spore i fixed that by simply deleting the language files or removing them from the folder check inside the games folder should be in their
By Jasca_Ducato (SI Core) on Mar 06, 2013
Jasca_Ducato
Predicted.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
SirRoderick
Yah, pretty much everyone but EA saw this coming you'd think.
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
nocutius
:)
By Chosen_One (SI Elite) on Mar 06, 2013
Chosen_One
Wow! Who could've guessed eh!? Everyone, I mean, EVERYONE told them that it is a bad idea! Even homeless people on street and several grandmothers!
By SiyaenSokol (SI Elite) on Mar 07, 2013
SiyaenSokol
I wonder when these monster gaming companies will learn that always DRM is not what the community wants in gaming. Yeah, we love online gaming, and DRM is great to some extent, but seriously, not all of us has got a stable internet connection, and not all of us wants to be forced to play online all the time.
By Gyorn (SI Core) on Mar 07, 2013
Gyorn
I always have to lol (hard) when companies make it in fact EASIER to enjoy a game if you grab a cracked version. WTF do they think is the benefit of this DRM crap? Even if there is no cracked version yet (i have no clue) there surely WILL be one, meaning it has no efect on people not wanting to buy it anway while only hurting the real customers...
By The_Tingler (SI Veteran Member) on Mar 07, 2013
The_Tingler
@SiyaenSokol: It's not even so much having to have a stable connection yourself, it's the one fact publishers and gamers forget about when they're talking about always-online games - THEY have to have a stable connection too. Diablo III and Ubisoft's games have massively suffered from this fact - I myself couldn't play Splinter Cell: Conviction for three f***ing months until they allowed me access to their server at last.
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Mar 07, 2013
djole381
Good one Jonah :)
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Mar 07, 2013
nocutius
Haha :)

Being a cheapskate that doesn't ususally buy things on launch pays off in cases like this.
By Kres (SI Elite) on Mar 07, 2013
Kres
lol@Jonah
By danfreeman (SI Core) on Mar 07, 2013
danfreeman
Here`s another accurate description of the game :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FsrzqJNQF8
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Mar 07, 2013
djole381
Hahahaha, nice one :)
By Chosen_One (SI Elite) on Mar 07, 2013
Chosen_One
:D LOL so true :D
By noobst3R (SI Core) on Mar 07, 2013
noobst3R
Serves them right! >: D
By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on Mar 08, 2013
FoolWolf
I have only one question EA - and I want you to really try and wriggle your way out of this:
How is this always online functionality of a great benefit to the players so that they wish to have this over a standard mode where they could enjoy the game offline? Eh?

EH??

EH EH??
Eh eh HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH! :D
By Kres (SI Elite) on Mar 08, 2013
Kres
lol
By Chosen_One (SI Elite) on Mar 08, 2013
Chosen_One
Joke of the month, SI couldn't do any review of the game...because SI couldn't even launch it at all :D
By Chosen_One (SI Elite) on Mar 08, 2013
Chosen_One
Possible score? :D
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 08, 2013
SirRoderick
Just put one up with score "N/A" ^_^
By Kres (SI Elite) on Mar 08, 2013
Kres
We haven't got the review code yet. Waiting for EA to send it. They don't seem to be in a hurry as it isn't quite working.
By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on Mar 12, 2013
FoolWolf
Man, they should be able to offer you heaps of goodie keys for a nice competition since they could REALLY use all the good press in heavens and hells after this launch :D
By lichlord (SI Core) on Mar 13, 2013
lichlord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FsrzqJNQF8 nuff said lol...
By Kres (SI Elite) on Mar 13, 2013
Kres
We already seen it above lichlord :) this game is as if it didn't happen at all due to the problems.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Mar 13, 2013
lichlord
oh lol must be tired haha
By lichlord (SI Core) on Mar 15, 2013
lichlord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e91q5BtlxK0 good kind of DRM
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Mar 15, 2013
djole381
@lichlord
Yup. If only other devs and publishers adopted this, life would be easier.
By Chosen_One (SI Elite) on Mar 15, 2013
Chosen_One
Cool DRM :)