Other retailers have also taken notice, as Amazon is no longer selling the digital version of the game, noting that "many customers are having issues connecting to the SimCity servers. [Update: SimCity is once again available for purchase.] EA is actively working to resolve these issues, but at this time we do not know when the issue will be fixed. Please visit https://help.ea.com/en/simcity/simcity for more information."IGN’s own review of SimCity is still in progress, as our reviewer has had difficulties remaining connected to the servers. A hotfix has already been deployed to try and smooth the bumps in SimCity’s roads, disabling non-critical features such as leaderboards and achievements, but many gamers – this one included – are still having problems getting online.
What can you do about it? One gamer has already set up a petition calling for EA’s discontinuation of always-online DRM in SimCity, as well as all their future releases. The petition already has over 20,000 signatures, and you can add your own name to the list at Change.org. Additionally, the SimCity debacle makes the Kickstarter campaign for a DRM-free city simulator, which we reported on earlier today, all the more inviting.
How much time have you been able to spend in SimCity? Will yours be the next name on the petition? Katie Williams is a freelance games journalist and critic. She tweets at @desensitisation and hopes that one day, a bird will tweet back.