The game manual for EA Maxis's upcoming city building simulator, SimCity, leaked over the weekend. As you would expect from a game manual, it contains a host of information about the game previously unknown to the public.
Among some of the many previously undisclosed details within the manual not only suggests, but confirms the existence of a in-game store for microtransactions. The store allows players to buy what the manual refers to as "special add-ons" and additional game content.
The description reads as follows:
"Click the banner on the main menu to enter the SimCity Store. Here, you’ll find special add- ons for sale. Select STORE to view the full list of additional game content (both free and paid) that can provide you with new gameplay possibilities."
Its implementation suggests that it's not too different from how the real world content store is implemented in The Sims 3, which allows owners of the game to purchase additional content to add into the game—except this time, it's built into the game.
Knowing what fans already think of the game, it'll undoubtedly cause a bit of stir to know that in addition to the game's always-online requirement, not all of its content will be available within the core version of the game and require additional purchase.
SimCity is slated for release on the PC and Mac in March.