Following the news earlier this week that MC has renamed Cities Unlimited to Cities XL, they have now moved the entire website to a new address: http://www.citiesxl.com. This event is announced in a new blog by dasilva, which also gives us some glimpses into future game mechanics and yes: new screenshots! Dasilva gives the following description of the game:

The game’s online features and services will allow players to create interconnected cities on virtual and persistent planets. Mayors can share and trade with one another, specialize their economy and team up with befriended cities to create sprawling metropolises. Life on the planet will be punctuated by events and competitions - a concert held in one town may, for example, be attended by visitors from other areas who can also enjoy a walk around the city to admire the urban creations of multiple players. By combining a fantastic single-player game with the social and multiplayer aspects of an MMO, CITIES XL™ will shape the future of the genre by offering more variety, bigger cities and multiple gameplay layers.

The screens provided are exciting as well: check them out in the forums. One person who will remain nameless had only one comment after seeing the new shots:

*drool*