Mac Users Report SimCity Installation Issues

Electronic Arts is suffering from a bad case of déjà vu: Almost six months after SimCity's PC debut was marred by server problems, Mac players are now finding themselves locked out of this week's launch.

A number of users reportedly have been unable to install the game after download, while others simply can't get it to launch on their machine, according to official EA Forum comment threads. In response, game maker Maxis today released a detailed installation guide for those encountering issues.

For those running into a mutexAlert, the fix is simple: Close SimCity, change your OS language back to English (or your language of choice), and restart your computer. Origin should automatically download the EA's update, though some users may need to restart their Mac once more before diving into the game.

Others, meanwhile, have complained about a faulty "Install" button, which provides no error message but merely does nothing when clicked. EA suggested re-installing Origin and opting into the new Beta version.

The new title requires Mac OS 10.7.5, so those running older operating systems are out of luck — for now. According to the company's FAQ, EA is working on an update to the minimum spec requirements; they are also investigating reports that the upcoming OSX 10.9 is incompatible, as well.

Electronic Arts released its Apple-friendly game on Thursday to much fanfare and high expectations, following months of improvements and additions.

In a blog announcement, senior producer Kip Katsarelis boasted seven major updates, including new region maps, SimCity Launch Park, new hotels, improved region wall chat, RCI building variations, the raise/lower road tool, and a free Houses of Worship set.

The digital-only Mac version of the game is on sale now for $40; $60 for the digital deluxe edition with foreign city sets and other features.

According to the SimCity Twitter account, the company is "aware some [of] our Mac Mayors are experiencing a few bumps in the road."

Similar problems threw the popular game maker off course early this year, when it resurrected the 10-year-old game. But a requirement that gamers be online to play resulted in massive server overload problems and peeved players. The company offered solace by providing customers with access to a free game for their trouble.

A major content update — patch 2.0 — came out in late April, with the intent of fixing a number of issues, including traffic hitches and bizarre tourism features.

For more, see PCMag's review of SimCity and the slideshow above. If you're done with SimCity, meanwhile, check out 7 City-Building Games Like SimCity.

UPDATE: In a Saturday statement, the SimCity team said that "we are pleased to advise that the installation-related issues some players experienced with SimCity on Mac have been resolved."