Maxis Explains Why SimCity Has Always-On Requirement

Gamespy:

It kind of kills me to be so excited about SimCity. On one hand, it is looking adorable. On the other, its always-online requirement is probably sentient and going to try and strangle us as we slumber. While I was at E3 this week, I dropped by EA's booth to check out SimCity and ask its devs just why they opted for the always-on thing, anyway. Are we going to have to learn to sleep with an eye open?

[dktxx2]

Piracy. The only reason for making a single player game online only.

[vortis]

Except, piracy is a non-issue:
http://www.cinemablend.com/...

[Yi-Long]

... cause an 'always on' requirement means I would rather download an illegal cracked copy instead.

[TurboGamer]

Always-On means that ligit buyers will struggle with server issues, iffy internet connections, etc. While pirates will enjoy a interrupt-free game.

[saladthieves]

It's ironic how the actual measures meant to teach pirates a lesson end up hurting the legit customers instead. :/

[Trenta27]

I'm okay with this as the game looks wonderful.
I wasn't okay with it in Diablo because that game is crap.

[LightofDarkness]

Because Diablo did it and everybody bought that and EA wanna play too?

[Saryk]

Didn't buy Diablo 3 and not buying this! F'em!

[FlashXIII]

Well, cheers Maxis think I'll pirate the game, then it won't be "always on"

[pr0digyZA]

Say that to diablo 3 people are still waiting.

[Lazyeye79]

I like the idea of being to play with other people, but is there an option to not play with other people? I mean I don't want some troll ruining it for me.

[beerkeg]

I know they want to cut piracy but there must be other ways, this is getting out of hand. Yeah, the multiplayer side sounds pretty good from what is explained in the article, but it's just an excuse to have the always online requirement.

I suppose this is the way the wind is blowing, because Diablo 3's online requirement seems to be quite successful as far as piracy is concerned.

Until it gets cracked anyway, then maybe they can stop this nonsense.

[vortis]

Dude, PIRACY IS NOT AN ISSUE.

Diablo 3 broke records in PC sales making Blizzard millions out of the game. more than 6 million copies sold? That's more than what the average console game sells. How on Earth is piracy an issue when they sold that many copies at $60 a pop?

Added to this, the PC market is the highest grossing market in the gaming industry, it's at 39% of the market share value while console gaming is at 36%. PC core gaming brought in $18.6 billion dollars alone in 2011.

Dude, PIRACY IS A NON-ISSUE. The PC market is screaming with revenue and EA's digital platform Origin, alone, made them more than $100 million dollars. They're just trying to strip away consumer rights and make you pay more for it. They can also cancel the service so that you'll be forced to buy the newer product whenever THEY feel like releasing it.

This has nothing to do with piracy.

[Elwenil]

You realize that you are saying piracy is not an issue and supporting that argument with a game that so far cannot be pirated? Did you ever think that the sales were so good BECAUSE people were not able to steal it?

[pr0digyZA]

So wait, the game that sold the most on PC also happens to be a game that has not been pirated, and yet this is not a piracy issue? Go onto any pirate site and see how many have caved in and bought the game because they couldn't wait. If the game had been cracked day one then I would think that this game would be in the headlines for something else like "most pirated game ever on first day" or something.

[vortis]

Read and weep:
Blizzard says Piracy was not the reason they added always-on. Try harder next time:
http://multiplayerblog.mtv....

[pr0digyZA]

No one said piracy was the only reason, of course they want money from the auction house as well, but your crazy to think they didn't see it as a way to implement an always on DRM at the same time to stop piracy. Remember don't believe everything you read ;P

[beerkeg]

I know what you're saying, although I do feel that piracy does play a part in it as well. But yes, control is also something that EA and Activision love to have.

[Saryk]

If you guys buy any sort of always online game. Then you are renting the game they control, can shutoff anytime and can't do a damn thing about it!

[Derpy]

Gamers who buy single player games that require always online and then cry about not being able to connect really have no one but themselves to blame.

I used to be a simcity fan, but burned out on the game a long time ago, so I don't think I'll have any problem giving this one a pass.

Personally I don't even by PC games released by EA anymore. With the bad name they have acquired, you'd think they'd be trying to improve their image rather than chasing fans away.

[NYC_Gamer]

I'm not gonna support any game that require always online

[aliengmr]

Well that just killed the tiny glimmer of interest I had in this game.