After several years of development, CITIES XL has opened its beta registration. CITIES XL, which is expected to ship in late 2009, is said to be the "next-generation in city-building games" as it takes games like Sim City to the next level. You can get more information and screenshots in our gamelist.

Be sure to visit http://www.citiesxl.com for more information about the game, and to learn more about the upcoming beta and check out the full press release after the jump.

Paris, France - April 16, 2009 -  Monte Cristo, developer and publisher of CITIES XL™, is pleased to announce that registration for the game's closed beta has begun. Gamers interested in testing the game and offering input into the development of Monte Cristo's next-generation city builder/MMO should sign up at http://jointhebeta.citiesxl.com.
 
CITIES XL™ allows gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps using an incredible collection of unique structures and monuments based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. The maps feature a variety of environments: mountains, hills, canyons, beaches and islands, all set in different climates from tropical to desert, Mediterranean to temperate. Players must create the right combinations of social services, leisure activities, special events and other job opportunities within their cities in order to feed, clothe, employ and entertain their citizens. Be it planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighborhood or transit system - there's always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL™.

 "We're excited to be at the point where we feel we've laid very solid foundations for this unique game," said Jerome Gastaldi, CEO of Monte Cristo, "Now we need to test the architecture to see how players respond to it, and to improve the integration of the online-gameplay and social networking features,.  In the next weeks, we'll let more residents into our closed betas and keep stress-testing the edifice correctly."

The game's online features and services will allow players to create interconnected cities on virtual and persistent planets. Mayors can share and trade with one another, specialize their economy and team up with befriended cities to create sprawling metropolises. Life on the planet will be punctuated by events and competitions - a concert held in one town may, for example, be attended by visitors from other areas who can also enjoy a walk around the city to admire the urban creations of multiple players. By combining a fantastic single-player game with the social and multiplayer aspects of an MMO, CITIES XL™ will shape the future of the genre by offering more variety, bigger cities and multiple gameplay layers.

For more information about CITIES XL™, which will ship in 2009, please visit www.citiesxl.com

About Monte Cristo Games

Created in 1995 Monte Cristo is a leading game production company with over a decade of experience, having successfully published 30 games worldwide. Backed by leading international venture capitalists, we are currently focusing a team of over 80 people on the development of CITIES XL™ which merges video gaming with social networking and virtual worlds.