The MMOG features novel real-time construction tools, 25 maps with varying landscapes, and around 500 buildings based on various architectural styles. To process worldwide payments, Cities XL uses GlobalCollect's Hosted Merchant Link interface. Through this interface, players can select their preferred payment method, ranging from international and national credit- and debit cards (in USD/EUR/GBP), to real-time banking, and direct debits (in Germany) - with further options to follow as the game is being rolled out globally.

In addition, Cities XL takes advantage of GlobalCollect's scalable fraud screening tools from renowned partners to maximize transaction safety prior to payment authorization. These include customized business rules, online account validation, neural networks and IP geolocation data.

Jerome Gastaldi, President of Monte Cristo, said: "Cities XL is the first City Builder that presents players with an MMO environment. By subscribing to the online-mode Planet offer, players experience a new dimension of gaming and emotions. As the city builder genre addresses a large consumer audience quite used to online purchases, Monte Cristo uses GlobalCollect to offer Cities XL players a secure, user-friendly, and convenient payment platform"

Jan Manten, CEO of GlobalCollect, added: "We extend a warm welcome to Monte Cristo. Over the last 15 years of servicing the online payment industry, we've gained solid insights into the requirements of the online gaming world. For instance, that it is crucial to handle payments quickly, so the methods we offer are processed instantaneously through our real-time payment platform, WebCollect."