April 2014
So I go into the windows 7 start menu & select simcity, the launcher opens OK, but in the bottom left hand corner it says in green "SINGLE-PLAYER MODE", so i check origin because origin is usually the source of these problems, but origin has no offline error message at the top
April 2014 - last edited April 2014
SimCity has single player (Origin online/offline) and multiplayer (Origin online). You can choose which game you want from the SimCity Main Menu.
Regardless of your previous SimCity session, Origin will always start up in online mode.
You can change Origin to offline/online (Origin Menu: Origin > Go Online/ Go Offline) once SimCity has started without affecting SimCity single player, but it will complain if your last SimCity session was multiplayer and give you an option to change to single player.
Another difference is you only have access to hard drive saves in single player and the "cloud" saves in multiplayer.
January 2015
If you have the "Single Player Mode" message in the lower corner of the launcher, start the game and then choose Multiplayer at the main menu.
After that, you'll have the option to change servers at the launcher.
December 2020
I am not given that option
December 2020
@shefsam1 - Did you purchase the game from Origin?
December 2020
Yes. I did.
I figured it out... It was a new install. So I realized (annoying as it was) that one needs to go through the initial tutorial before they will let you get to those menus and join multi-player.
December 2020
Oh, thanks so much for letting me know. That IS annoying - I totally forgot about that, it's been a long time since I had a new install. I need to make a mental note of that fact!
May 2021
Nailed it! That's the solution. Thanks.