EA confirms Maxis at work on new installment in city-building franchise, using new GlassBox engine, for PC and Mac.

The reports have proven correct: SimCity will return to the PC in 2013. At a Game Developers Conference event tonight, Electronic Arts confirmed that its Maxis studio is at work on a new installment in the city-building franchise for release next year.

Godzilla will be a clear and present danger in the new SimCity.

According to EA, Maxis is building the new SimCity on its new GlassBox game engine. Among other features, this engine will allow the studio to introduce curved roads to the franchise. The game will also be fully 3D, a first for the series.

EA also noted that the game will emphasize a dynamic struggle for limited resources as a player's city develops. The company said that this feature will play into the game's cooperative and competitive online component.

EA's Origin online storefront is already offering preorders for downloads of SimCity in a $60 limited edition and $80 "digital deluxe" package. The limited edition will introduce superheroes and villains to the game, as well as unspecified "mystery items." The digital deluxe version will have all of that, as well as new British, French, and German-themed city sets.

The first trailer for the new SimCity can be seen below. EA has more information on the game through its official website.

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