EA has officially confirmed that SimCity 5 will be named SimCity Societies and is being developed by Caesar IV developer, Tilted Mill instead of the series' creators at Maxis.
According to EA, the reason behind the Societies name is that it's "completely different from SimCity 4, so they're trying to come up with something different than just calling it SimCity 5."
SimCity fans who were not delighted with the developer shift, barraged Tilted Mill's forums with heated comments which President and Director of Development Chris Beatrice responded to by the following official statement:
"...I do not want to mislead anyone: This SC is not a realistic urban simulation, which I understand, to many, represents the heart of what SC is. No one is blind to that. And if you're just completely turned off, even angered by the mere notion of any game called 'SimCity' that is not a detailed, realistic urban simulator, I absolutely understand that viewpoint, and absolutely respect it."
"I do want to say, though (with no insult intended to die hard SC fans) that we are absolutely thrilled to be a part of this venerable series, are extremely proud of what we have put together, and make no apologies about what we have managed to create. And while our past experiences (including contributions from many of you) certainly inform all our ongoing efforts, this SC is its own unique creation."