Simulation

Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson's new project is a space exploration game called 0x10c. While admitting the game is still in the early stages of development, Persson has revealed a few basic details. More >

The upcoming SimCity reboot will require a constant internet connection to play, developer Maxis has confirmed. Lead designer Stone Librande confirmed to Joystiq that, while the game will be available to purchase from a number of digital distribution platforms, players will need to be constantly connected to Origin to play the game. More >

Yoot Saito's Dreamcast pet sim Seaman is headed to 3DS, according to reports. Andriasang brings word from Japan's Nikkei, which in a feature claims Nintendo is looking to revive games from thirdparty publishers' back catalogue for 3DS, giving Seaman as an example. More >

Tiny Tower, the iOS resource management sim developed by three-man indie studio Nimblebit, has been downloaded ten million times, the developer has announced. The milestone was revealed on Twitter by Nimblebit's Ian Marsh. "To celebrate Tiny Tower reaching 10 million iOS downloads," he writes, "we're giving away over 10 million Tower Bux to players." More >

Microsoft's free-to-play reboot of the Flight Sim series, Microsoft Flight, is out of beta and will be released on February 29. The download, available from the game's official site at the source link below, lets players fly over Hawaii's Big Island, though the first DLC offering will also be available on launch day. More >

The free download will allow armchair pilots to soar above Hawaii's Big Island, and along with a free flight mode will also include missions, flying challenges and a number of hidden "aerocaches" to find. Region-specific weather patterns and customisable control realism complete the package. More >

Rock Paper Shotgun reports that Ubisoft has fulfilled its promise to remove From Dust's always-on DRM in a patch; update the game through Steam now and play offline to your heart's content. Meanwhile, Ubisoft confirmed yesterday that the Eric Chahi god sim will finally be released for PlayStation 3 on September 14 in Europe, and September 27 in North America.

Rock Paper Shotgun reports that Ubisoft has authorised Steam to refund owners of From Dust who are unhappy with the game's lacklustre PC port and use of always-on DRM. "Ubisoft has just announced that they are working on a patch that will eliminate the need for any online authentication for From Dust," reads an email sent to customers. "The patch will release in approximately two weeks. If you don't want to wait for the patch, or if you haven't played the game, per Ubisoft's request, we will issue refunds for this title."

An all-new title based on Bullfrog's 1994 classic will be released for iPhone and iPad before the end of the year, Digital Spy reports. A free download with microtransaction support, some attractions will be based on EA properties including Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Dead Space. EA is also promising cloud storage of game saves using its Origin platform.

The news that Eric Chahi's excellent god game has broken Ubisoft's day-one Xbox Live Arcade sales record by 45 per cent has to be put in context: it doesn't have an awful lot of games on the service, and the publisher declined to specify just how many copies had been sold or even what the previous record-holder was. Vice president of digital publishing Chris Early said: "From Dust is another great example of Ubisoft's ongoing commitment to bring original intellectual properties and brands to the digital space. Ubisoft is a creative company dedicated to delivering innovative and engaging content for all types of players." If you're still on the fence, follow the source link below for our review.

Eric Chahi's striking god sim, which will be released on Xbox Live Arcade tomorrow, will not make its PC debut until next month. An Ubisoft rep confirmed to Joystiq that the PC version will now be released on August 17. This is hardly a first for Ubisoft: the likes of Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Call Of Juarez: The Cartel, Prince Of Persia and Tom Clancy's Endwar have all suffered a similar fate.