SimCity launch woes addressed in Maxis internal memo

A message sent to Maxis team members by General Manager Lucy Bradshaw shows the developer is well-aware of the continued connectivity and performance problems plaguing SimCity's players since the city-manager launched earlier this week. As Polygon reports, Bradshaw commends staff for a "software achievement" but also acknowledges the critical need for increased server stability.

"I'll start by saying that I couldn't be more proud of SimCity and the Maxis team that made it and are supporting it," Bradshaw writes. "The game launched with great reviews from both new critics and the veterans who have loved this franchise for so many years. SimCity is a software achievement that everyone at Maxis is extremely proud of. I am also thankful for all of the hard work put in by our marketing, EA Global Publishing and Origin teams, which drove very strong day one performance around world. Then we launched it."

Bradshaw indicates over 700,000 cities sprang up in the first 24 hours (which includes the cities founded in our continuing Celebrity SimCity feature), but she also stresses Maxis' "top priority" is to fix up the hit-or-miss network.

"The rollout in North America has been challenging," she adds. "It's also now evident that players across Europe and Asia are experiencing the same frustration. Our top priority is to quickly and dramatically increase the number and stability of our servers, and with that, the number of players who can simultaneously access the game."

SimCity's critical reception is a sharp see-saw between positive outlet reviews and a considerable amount of unfavorable player feedback appearing on sites such as Metacritic and Amazon . Bradshaw's response to the disapproval is refreshingly honest, if a bit sobering.

"I'd like to say it's not fair that the game's score should be punished for a server problem," she explains. "But it is fair.

"SimCity is an online game, and critics and consumers have every right to expect a smooth experience from beginning to end. I and the Maxis team take full responsibility to deliver on our promise. Trust that we're working as hard as possible to make sure everyone gets to experience the amazing game we built in SimCity."

Tyler's review in progress goes over his observations of SimCity's mechanics after many mayoral hours over the week. Expect his full review later today.

Omri Petitte is a former PC Gamer associate editor and long-time freelance writer covering news and reviews. If you spot his name, it probably means you're reading about some kind of first-person shooter. Why yes, he would like to talk to you about Battlefield. Do you have a few days?