Waiting for SimCity 5 – No Preload?

So it seems that EA is not doing a preload for SimCity 5.

I had high hopes for EA on this one. They seemed to have made an improvement over Valve’s Steam in at least one key area by announcing a 9pm PST release time that means that East Coasters can play at midnight. When I saw the release date I was overjoyed since that has been one of my few gripes with game launches on Steam.

They could have really taken me over the moon with a preload. If the game were just waiting to install later tonight like a gift from Maxis and EA then I would have been overjoyed. Instead, apparently, I get to start a long download at 9pm. I can only hope that the download goes smoothly. I’m pretty sure they are using Akamai to deliver the download, which should be able to take the load. I just wish they would fully embrace digital content and a few more of the remaining quality of life benefits for customers.

Either way, at 9:30pm PST or 9:45pm PST or some time around there I will be happily entering a brand new SimCity 5. Then the release date, release time and preload issues will fade into the distance behind my role as Mayor and the sounds of a bustling city…..