



SimCity is back, but the world has changed.

Since the last video game in the Simsseries was released in 2003, graphics have greatly improved. Climate change issues have also become more top of mind over the past few years. SimCity 5 — set for release in 2013 — will not only feature better graphics, it will also address climate change and environmental issues.

The PC-based title, which is in the process of being created by EA's Maxis label, was unveiled at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco this week. As the trailer above demonstrates, it looks to be a quantum leap in terms of detail over SimCity 4.( For comparison's sake, we've included the new trailer for SimCity 5 and the one from SimCity 4 below.)

Davis Guggenheim, director of climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, told conference attendees that the game will help educate young players about the issue. Players will also be able to compete with others to be the greenest city.

Don't expect the game to be a dry civics lesson, though. Lucy Bradshaw, senior vice president of gamemaker Maxis, told Reuters, "While it is about managing your resources correctly, a giant lizard may troll around the corner and take out a few buildings and you'll have to deal with that."



