SimCity's offline mode is nearly ready with Update 10 – which will introduce the ability to play the game without an internet connection when released – is in "final testing."
The news was announced on the game's official Twitter acccount:
Update 10 is in final testing. Almost there Mayors.
— SimCity (@simcity) March 12, 2014
SimCity was hit by severe problems when it launched last year and players found the game's servers severly overwhelmed and unable to remain active for many users making the game unplayable.
Offline functionality was announced in January and took six-and-a-half months to develop.
The problems faced by SimCity were so severe that Maxis decided to make The Sims 4 an offline game but modders were able to prove early on that the offline play was possible.
Series creator Will Wright labelled the game's launch "inexcusable."