Focus Home Interactive annexes Cities XL 2011

Cities XL French developer Monte Cristo recently shut its doors, but not before selling the rights to its city-building franchise to an unspecified partner. The closure happened in May, and today, the acquiring party was revealed, with Focus Home Interactive announcing Cities XL 2011 for release this October.

In the title, players will assume the role of mayor of a virtual city and decide how its people and resources are to be managed.

The new installment will feature "hundreds" of new buildings and structures, 45 maps, and public transportation, including bus lines and subways. Additionally, the game's taxing system has been overhauled and now allows players to levy separate tax rates on persons and businesses. What's more, a new commerce tool will let gamers trade between cities in single-player mode.

In a statement, Focus Home Interactive expressed its commitment to the game's fan base following the closure of the original developer.

Those interested at getting a first glimpse at the new environments of Cities XL 2011 can check out the game's official Web site. For more on the original, check out GameSpot's Cities XL review.

[CORRECTION] This story originally stated that Cities XL 2011 would be out next October. The game is actually slated for release this October. GameSpot regrets the error.