SimCity is finally getting offline support.

Following the game’s messy return last year, Maxis is hoping to earn some points with players by offering the free offline download with Update 10.

Once it launches, offline mode will make all previously downloaded content available anywhere, at any time—the backseat of your family road trip, the dentist’s waiting room—without an Internet connection.

There is no word yet on when the update will be released, but Maxis Emeryville General Manager Patrick Buechner said(Opens in a new window) the studio is in the late phases of wrapping development.

“While we want to get it into your hands as soon as possible, our priority is to make sure that it’s as polished as possible before we release it,” Buechner said in a blog post. “So, until then… testing, testing, and more testing.”

Update 10 also boasts the new Single Player Mode, which allows users to play the offline game alone; you can still play solo in Regions or in multiplayer with gamers from around the world.

“All of the benefits of being connected will remain,” including access to multiplayer, the global market, and leaderboards, Buechner said. “And all of your pre-existing saved cities and regions will still be accessible should you log-in to the Online game.”

This move also brings new opportunities for modders who are looking for new, interesting ways to change the course of the popular PC game. Maker Electronic Arts last week posted words of encouragement(Opens in a new window) to create, redistribute, and consume mods for SimCity, while at the same time tightening the leash on its guidelines.

The restrictions are standard: Do not jeopardize the integrity of the game or change multiplayer features, and always respect the game’s age ratings. Of course, anything under copyright, trademark, or patent, or banned by the End User License Agreement and EA’s Terms of Service, is still prohibited.

Electronic Arts was supposed to have a banner 2013: It was the year SimCity returned from a 10-year hiatus to computers across the world. But instead, server problems marred March’s PC release, months before Mac players found themselves locked out of the game’s launch. Amidst the bad press and angry users, EA CEO John Riccitiello announced his resignation.

For more, see PCMag’s review of SimCity and the slideshow above. Also check out 7 City-Building Games Like SimCity.