'SimCity' beta set for January 25-28 weekend

PC players will be able to try out one hour's worth of the upcoming "SimCity" between January 25 and 28, in advance of the game's general release the week of March 5.

PC players will be able to try out one hour's worth of the upcoming 'SimCity' between January 25 and 28, in advance of the game's general release the week of March 5.

Unlike its predecessor, 2003's 'Sim City 4,' 'SimCity' arrives during the- Facebook age, when series fans and newcomers are familiar with the hooks of the social network's city building titles such as 'Social City' and 'CityVille.'

So it is that Mac and PC game 'SimCity' trades on not only deeper city infrastructures and citizen behaviors but on its multiplayer aspects and online connectivity requirement -- introductions that many longtime players may find irksome.

Nevertheless, PC players are presented with a one-hour slot of gametime gratis to wrap their heads around the pros and cons of the series' latest entry.