EA Launches Free to Play 'SimCity BuildIt' for iOS - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

EA Launches Free to Play 'SimCity BuildIt' for iOS

by

Electronic Arts today launched SimCity BuildIt for iOS devices, which is a new mobile iteration of its popular city-building franchise. The game features a variety of fully-detailed buildings found in the PC iterations of SimCity with touch-optimized controls for pinching, zooming, and rotating, as the game works online and offline.

simcity1
Like the PC version, gameplay is centered around keeping citizens happy by solving challenges like traffic and pollution while expanding a city with new resources and buildings. Players can also trade resources with friends and unlock exclusive buildings, natural disasters, and other content. The game was originally announced in September, and follows the release of the latest SimCity title on the Mac last August.

simcity2
SimCity BuildIt is a free download for the iPhone and iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

153 months ago
Without even looking at it I know this is freemium ******** and you have to spend more than 50$ in app purchases to actually play the game.

Why is stuff from EA even featured?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
153 months ago
Hey guys. A huge vault of sim cash is only $99. That's pretty reasonable.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aluminum213 Avatar
153 months ago
What a great "story" from macrumors
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BillyBobBongo Avatar
153 months ago
Why is stuff from EA even featured?

Ad revenue.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MH01 Avatar
153 months ago
Simcity , such a good brand , being ruined by EA :(
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Steve121178 Avatar
153 months ago
I just spent a couple of minutes playing. Who are they designing these games for five year olds? I remember spending so much time as a child on sim city 2000. It was fun, engaging, and had some strategic elements.

This game has you design about 8 city blocks. It's like sim city for anyone with an iq under 80. I think the old sim city that came out a while back that was a port is much nicer.
The Sim City you and I loved doesn't exist any more apart from the name only. EA destroyed everything that was great about Sim City, likewise with Command & Conquer.

EA don't even design most of their games to be fun. It's about trying to extract as much money as they can from people.

You can actually play a free web-based version of the original Sim City which is a trillion times better than this ****.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....