Following delays to the game's release window, Maxis discontinued development of SimsVille in September 2001, citing concerns with the quality of the gameplay experience.

In contrast to gameplay in SimCity, which focuses only on city-building mechanics, homes in Simsville would be inhabited by households of Sims, who moved between and interacted with buildings in the city.

[8][4][1] The development team aimed to bridge these gameplay approaches through expressing the impact of Sims and communities on the character of the environment.

[12][6][13][14] In May 2001, Electronic Arts showcased previews of gameplay of SimsVille from multiple booths at E3,[15][16] with its content observed by PC PowerPlay to have "progressed considerably" from the previous year.

[21] Maxis director Patrick Buechner estimated that SimsVille was "about 60 percent compete" and anticipating a March 2002 release at the time of cancellation.

[22] In a retrospective assessment, Computer Gaming World noted that the Hot Date expansion better accomplished the primary goal of allowing sims to leave their homes, a likely reason for the cancellation of SimsVille.