SimCity Will Allow Players To Move Into "Abandoned" Cities

Maxis' upcoming urban planning game SimCity will allow players to move into cities that have been "abandonded" by other players.

Among the biggest changes that will be coming with the version of SimCity to hit in 2013 is the addition of social play. Your city will "interact" with neighboring towns in a non-linear way, so if you build the perfect little town of Mayberry next to the crime filled hell-scape of Near-Future Detroit, criminals will "overflow" into the prim and proper city, wreaking havoc. The same would work for positive trade betwen 'burghs, with players having the ability to share money, water, power and even plan intra-city projects like International airports.

•  NEWS: SimCity Release Date February 2013

But if you move in next to a deadbeat -- If someone in your region abandons his/her town -- you'll be able to take over his or her city and install yourself as mayor. There's a built in abandonment feature in SimCity.

"This is asynchronous multiplayer, so If someone goes off line for a couple hours or a few days, or just stops playing, the experience doesn't end for you," explains Maxis' senior producer Kip Katsarelis, "If someone abandons their city permanently, you can take over that city. It's a cool feature because people will be able to share the cities they create and create their own scenarios."

• PREVIEW: SimCity: This Town Is Going To The Dogs

I could totally see how it would be awesome to take over slum and enact elaborate gentrification plans,  either that or take a thriving metropolis and rain hell and fire down upon it.

Speaking of hell and fire, another important feature of SimCity was revealed today: Disasters. All this week, Maxis will be revealing a SimCity disaster every day. The first one: Meteors. Death from outer space!

Check out the entire Maxis video for more about SimCity and other Sim products.