Shift in Development Focus for Cities: Skylines 2
After the initial rocky start of Cities: Skylines 2, Colossal Order has decided to shift their development strategy from rolling out weekly patches to concentrating on more complex issues within the game. This strategic pivot signifies the end of the weekly patch releases and has also resulted in the postponement of anticipated downloadable content (DLC) for the game.
Update Cadence and Priorities
The team at Colossal Order is now focusing on a less frequent, but more impactful update schedule for Cities: Skylines 2. This new approach is aimed at addressing the deeper, more persistent issues that have been affecting the game’s performance and overall player experience.
| Priority | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| 1 | Performance Improvements |
| 2 | Bug Fixes |
| 3 | Modding Support |
Performance and Bug Fixes
To enhance the GPU performance of Cities: Skylines 2, the development team is adding missing Levels of Detail (LODs) and refining existing ones. This meticulous work is expected to require multiple patches to complete. Following these improvements, the focus will shift towards optimizing CPU performance, with the goal of reducing stutters and increasing simulation speed to ensure a smooth experience as players’ cities grow in size and complexity.
In terms of bug fixes, Colossal Order has identified 100 reproducible bugs and is actively working on resolving them. An additional 100 bug reports are currently under investigation to verify and address the issues they present.
Modding Tools and Community Feedback
The editor for Cities: Skylines 2 is still under development, with a dedicated beta group currently testing the map editor. Feedback from this group indicates that the water placement mechanics are overly complex and that the user interface (UI) requires additional refinement to enhance user experience.
Future Content and Release Schedule
Looking ahead, Colossal Order has outlined a schedule for upcoming content for Cities: Skylines 2. The first asset pack, titled Beach Properties, is in the works, with the studio’s artists and an outsourcing partner at the helm.
- Asset pack: Q1 2024 (initially planned for Q4 2023)
- Creator packs: Q2 2024 (initially planned for Q1 2024)
- Medium expansion: Q2 2024 (no change)
There is a palpable sense of hope for the future of Cities: Skylines 2 as Colossal Order continues to navigate through the game’s early challenges. Despite the setbacks, the game’s ambitious simulation and potential for growth keep the community eagerly anticipating the improvements and content on the horizon. With a clear focus on enhancing performance, squashing bugs, and expanding modding capabilities, there’s optimism that 2024 will see Cities: Skylines 2 flourish into the city-building experience many have been waiting for.
