SimCity to finally get offline mode

Maxis has confirmed that SimCity will finally be updated with a highly sought after offline mode.

General manager Patrick Buechner confirmed the news in his latest blog entry, claiming that the ability to play offline will be available "soon".

"When we launch [the update], all of your previously downloaded content will be available to you anytime, anywhere, without the need for an internet connection," he wrote.

"In Update 10, you can still play solo in Regions on your own, or in Multiplayer with people from around the world. What's new is the Single Player Mode, which allows you to play the game Offline by yourself.

"And because your saved games in this mode are stored locally, you can save and load to your heart's content."

Having an offline mode also means that modders can get creative.

"Bringing the game Offline means big things for our wonderful community of modders," he added.

"They can now make modifications to the game and its components without compromising the integrity of the Online game.

"Modding is a big part of our studio's legacy and we're excited to see what you guys create."

Building an offline mode for SimCity has been a controversial issue since the game's launch, with EA heavily criticised for making users have to be connected to the internet to play.

Following SimCity's release, Maxis general manager Lucy Bradshaw claimed that playing SimCity offline was "just not possible".