This paper, authored by and published in ToDIGRA (Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association), analyzes the game as an artifact of contemporary urban planning theory. Key Themes of the Paper
One notable academic paper looking into is "SimCity and the Creative Class" (also published under variations like "SimCity and the Creative Class: Place, Urban Planning, and the Contemporary Cultural Setting"). SimCity Societies
: The paper compares the game's mechanics to the ideas of famed urban theorist Richard Florida . It explores how the game’s "Social Energies" (Creativity, Authority, Knowledge, etc.) reflect Florida’s theories about how specific cultural values and "city personalities" attract certain types of workers. This paper, authored by and published in ToDIGRA
: Another paper (2014) explores how students reflect on creating future, sustainable cities through games like SimCity, using them to understand complex, interdependent urban systems. It explores how the game’s "Social Energies" (Creativity,