I won`t have this problem anymore on Widescreen to play SimCity 4, to play it with Widescreen you must 1:Locate your Simcity 4 destination folder 2. Copy name SimCity 4.exe 3.Open shortcut properties 4 At the end of shortcut Target: you must replace names EALaunchHelper.exe to SimCity 4.exe 5. Now you can anything you wish like -w (will do windowed mode) or change resolution " -CustomResolution:enabled -r(your screen width)x(your screen height)x32 it looks like "...Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1766x1000x32 or -d:DirectX|Software Sets the graphics driver for SC4 and then you must click apply. Your modified shortcut was not worked only because original shortcut will lead to stop game totally by it`s destination target EALaunchHelper.exe which is not game file it`s something I guess Net.Framework made program which do not allow to work for it with -W or else something it can`t be changed names because even smallest dates will disappear like EALaunchHelper.exe Origin won`t recognise it as downloaded game so you will need to reinstall it to play it of course from library it won`t works anyways because it will open only EALaunchHelper.exe and not SimCity 4.exe so yes by now only way is to use shortcut not Origin commands. I don`t know but 1280x1024 resolution which is able on SC4 usually works fine but not this time it won`t change whole screen resolution but just centred screen and never whole game screen.