Editing Maxis (section)

=== ''Spore'' and ''SimCity'' reboot (2006–2014) ===
[[File:Maxis 2012 logo.svg|thumb|right|The second logo of Maxis, used until 2022]]
As ''The Sims'' became a steady success, [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]] began to focus on ''[[Spore (2008 video game)|Spore]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jon |first=Scott |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/13/joystiq-interviews-spores-chaim-gingold-and-chris-hecker/ |title=interviews Spore's Chaim Gingold and Chris Hecker |publisher=Joystiq |date=November 13, 2006 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115031208/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/13/joystiq-interviews-spores-chaim-gingold-and-chris-hecker/ |archive-date=November 15, 2013}}</ref> The three years between its public announcement and its release were protracted enough to attract use of the term "[[vaporware]]" by some,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/software/softwarereviews/news/2006/12/72350?currentPage=all |title=Vaporware '06: Return of the King |last=Calore |first=Michael |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=December 27, 2006 |access-date=August 5, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113052220/http://www.wired.com/software/softwarereviews/news/2006/12/72350?currentPage=all |archive-date=November 13, 2012}}</ref> and upon its 2008 release, found itself subject to harsh criticism and the target of a consumer protest against [[Electronic Arts]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Naraine |first=Ryan |url=http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/ea-spore-backlash-could-help-end-drm/1969 |title=EA Spore backlash could help end DRM |work=ZDNet |date=September 25, 2008 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404053053/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/ea-spore-backlash-could-help-end-drm/1969 |archive-date=April 4, 2011}}</ref> Despite the poor launch publicity, ''Spore'' sold 1 million units in its first month.<ref>{{cite web |last=Quillen |first=Dustin |url=http://www.1up.com/news/spore-sales-skyrocket-million |title=Spore Sales Skyrocket Beyond One Million |publisher=1up.com |date=September 24, 2008 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402183919/http://www.1up.com/news/spore-sales-skyrocket-million |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]] left Maxis in 2009, with Maxis going on to produce the poorly received spinoff ''[[Darkspore]]'' in 2011. During this time, Maxis.com redirected to the ''Spore'' website, then later once more to the website for ''The Sims''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beyondsims.com/38996/maxis-com-now-redirects-to-the-sims-franchise-site/ |title=Maxis.com Now Redirects to The Sims Franchise Site? |publisher=BeyondSims |date=February 11, 2012 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115083228/http://www.beyondsims.com/38996/maxis-com-now-redirects-to-the-sims-franchise-site/ |archive-date=November 15, 2013}}</ref> At the 2012 [[Game Developers Conference]], EA announced a new ''[[SimCity (2013 video game)|SimCity]]'' along with a new logo for the Maxis brand. Maxis became one of four primary labels at EA, replacing the "EA Play" brand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ea.com/labels |title=EA Company Labels l Electronic Arts |publisher=Ea.com |date=April 9, 2012 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429152716/http://www.ea.com/labels |archive-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> A Mobile focused Maxis studio was opened in Helsinki by EA in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ea.com/news/ea-maxis-opens-new-mobile-studio-in-finland?isLocalized=true|title=EA Maxis Opens New Mobile Studio in Finland|first=Electronic|last=Arts|date=September 27, 2012|website=Electronic Arts Inc.|access-date=December 14, 2021}}</ref> Development of ''[[The Sims]]'' continued,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/538147.page |title=Forums – Community – The Sims 3 |publisher=Forum.thesims3.com |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601191302/http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/538147.page |archive-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> and Maxis branding returned in 2013 with the launch of ''[[The Sims 3: University Life]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.simified.com/2013/02/13/the-maxis-logo-returns-to-the-sims-3/ |title=The Maxis Logo Returns To The Sims 3 – Simified.com – Latest news and more for The Sims 3 & SimCity! |publisher=Simified.com |access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> and ''[[SimCity (2013 video game)|SimCity]]''. While Maxis were focusing on graphical improvements with the ''SimCity'' reboot, EA wanted to make the game multiplayer and always-online, in part to combat piracy. The game was subject to "one of the most disastrous launches in history", as the game was released in a highly buggy state, with server failures plaguing players, and the open regions swiftly filling with abandoned cities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SimCity (2013) Review|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/59266-simcity-2013-review|access-date=2021-09-09|website=GameRevolution}}</ref> Maxis would continue to support the game with patches, but it remained buggy even a year after launch. The reboot effectively ended the ''SimCity'' franchise, and was the last game to be developed by Maxis' core location in Emeryville.<ref name="Kuosmanen">{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/why-simcity-died-and-how-an-indie-developer-saved-the-city-building-genre-2163ae2f07a1|title=Why SimCity died — and how an indie developer saved the city-building genre|first=Ville|last=Kuosmanen|date=February 13, 2020|website=Medium}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-25-the-funny-bugs-of-simcity-post-update-2-0|title=The funny bugs of SimCity - post update 2.0|first=Wesley|last=Yin-Poole|newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=April 25, 2013}}</ref>