22 years later, modders are keeping SimCity 4 alive
Search for “SimCity 4†on YouTube, and you’ll see players constructing multilevel highway interchanges and intricate railroad networks, or maybe even a swooping flyby of a sprawling metropolis. None of these features came with the original game, which was released just after the turn of the millennium. They’ve been developed slowly and painstakingly over the 22 years since its release by dedicated aficionados — a thriving community that continues to push the game’s limits.
The work is a labor of love, and it’s a lot of labor and love. Modder Tarkus says that after all these years, he’s drawn to the deep and complex nature of the game’s simulation, which he says remains unmatched by newer games like Cities: Skylines (2015) and its sequel Cities: Skylines 2 (2023) — and even by SimCity 4’s own sequel, which was released in 2013 and simply called SimCity. Modder Ulisse Wolf says that, for him, it’s ultimately a question of community. Perhaps because of the game’s age, he finds that SimCity 4 enthusiasts are “more mature … guaranteeing you a quiet place to live in [peace] with other members.â€
SimCity 4 was released in 2003, the fourth in game company …