Following a nightmare launch, EA has announced the games from which SimCity players may choose a free download. Despite the launch problems, EA has been able to announce that 1.1 million units of SimCity have been sold during the first two weeks of its lifespan.

To be eligible for the free download, SimCity players must register their game with Origin by March 25. The eight EA titles that you can choose from are:

Despite having to issue this apology to fans, EA has announced that this is the largest SimCity launch ever, with 1.1 million units sold, 15 million hours played and 5.7 million cities created.

780 million buildings have been placed, and players have built enough railway tracks and roads to circle the planet more than 40,000 times, according to EA’s press release.

However, although the server problems have largely been solved by increased capacity, Amazon reviews still average 1.3 stars (yet it remains the best-selling simulation game) and SimCity‘s Metascore (based on critic reviews) is down to 64 out of 100. The Metacritic user score sits at 1.7 out of 10.

Further, EA has announced that CEO John Riccitiello is stepping down by mutual agreement. It is unclear whether this comes as a result of SimCity‘s launch, or if was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back, following the failure of Star Wars: The Old Republic, an MMO with a gargantuan budget behind it. VG247 expects chief operating officer Peter Moore to fill Riccitiello’s role.

What have your two weeks with SimCity been like? Will you be taking EA up on its offer of a free game? Which title will you choose?

Photo credit: EA