EA confirms SimCity Societies will be developed by Children of the Nile shop Tilted Mill; due Holiday 2007, after the long 4 years waiting, SimCity Societies.

This time around, no more zoning for residential, commercial or industrial, just put buildings wherever you desire. Energy is the major new concept in SimCity Societies, and it will let you build the kind of city that you want. A huge selection of work-related buildings to choose from: not just a few categories, but loads of different professions too. There are breweries, bakeries, banks, animal shelters, bookstores, casinos, bowling alleys, bridal shops, cafés, and loads more. The buildings you place will have a variety of effects on your city. By clicking on a building, you can find out a wealth of information such as its operating hours, financial impact, the impact nearby buildings have on it, how many people live or work there, and how it affects your city's societal values: productivity, prosperity, creativity, spirituality, authority, and knowledge. Each building can have a positive or negative effect on these values. Depending on what buildings you choose and where you put them, your city might end up being normal, a small town, romantic, capitalist, industrial, fun, or a number of other characteristics, all of which are reflected in your city's appearance.

SimCity Societies will track and model the citizens in your city to a greater degree than before, each of them will react realistically to their surroundings. The graphics engine looks similar to the ones used in Caesar IV and Children of the Nile, so the camera is lower to the ground and let you see the goings-on in your city from up close. You can also pull the camera back to take in larger swaths of terrain. However, it won't be a system hog like SimCity 4.

Let's hope for the best!