SimCity (series)


 * For information on the fictional location by the same name, see SimCity

SimCity is a series of simulation games produced by Maxis (either independently, or later as a subsidiary of Electronic Arts) and released for PCs and various platforms beginning in 1989. There have been five main releases within the series - SimCity (1989), SimCity 2000 (1993), SimCity 3000 (1999), SimCity 4 (2003) and SimCity Societies (2007) - with a sixth entry (SimCity) in development for 2013.

The purpose of games within the SimCity franchise is to build and simulate metropolises. This is accomplished through the placement of civic and governmental buildings like schools, police and fire stations, parks, and others. Growth of the city is determined by tax rates, ordinances and available zones for development, which are all adjusted and controlled by the player. Like The Sims and most other Maxis games, gameplay is open-ended and there typically is no end goal or objective, though in some versions of the game, scenario play is available.

The success of the SimCity series in the 1990s led to the creation of many, albeit less successful games, within the Sim- series. This series culminated with the development and release of The Sims in 2000 and the birth of The Sims series. The success of The Sims series has since eclipsed the earlier successes of the SimCity series.