Summary
- Hallikainen expresses regret over the lack of mod support in Cities: Skylines 2, acknowledging community frustration.
- Players were critical of the sequel's launch, citing missing features like Editor UI and inadequate modding support.
- Despite initial setbacks, Colossal Order vows to improve Cities: Skylines 2 with new features and clearer communication.
CEO of Colossal Order, Mariina Hallikainen, has revealed that her "biggest regret" about the studio's recent release, Cities: Skylines 2, was a lack of mod support. With Cities: Skylines 2 now just over four months old, community frustration at the state of the game remains extremely high.
As the follow-up title to Cities: Skylines, this sequel had plenty to live up to. Many players were happy still playing the original game, which in 2015 took the city-building genre by storm just two years after the failure of SimCity. To justify a sequel, Cities: Skylines 2 had to be something special. However, most felt that the game launched half-baked and missing features that it should have had, most notably the Editor UI. As a result, the community hasn't taken kindly to Colossal Order since October, so much so that Hallikainen previously had to address the toxicity of Cities: Skylines 2 fans.
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In the latest Word of the Week post on Steam, the CEO of Colossal Order, Mariina Hallikainen, spoke candidly about the continued issues with the game, even going as far as to call the lack of modding support for the game her "biggest regret." After all, the mods for Cities: Skylines were a key part of why players remained engaged with the original title for so many years. She goes on to claim that "the intent was to have it fully ready at release," but the studio was "all hands on deck to fix the performance" as the release date grew closer.
The 'Biggest Regret' of Cities: Skylines 2
When it was confirmed that Cities: Skylines 2 would miss mod support at launch, the community was not happy. The news that the game was foregoing platforms such as the Steam Workshop in favor of a proprietary content platform titled Paradox Mods also caused much confusion, although hopefully, this is something that becomes clearer when mods finally drop for Cities: Skylines 2. While Hallikainen's words don't offer anything concrete, she does confirm that the studio will be "communicating more on the status of the modding soon," so it shouldn't be too much longer to wait now.
There's a long way to go before Cities: Skylines 2 can be mentioned in the same breath as its predecessor. The original Cities: Skylines is comfortably one of the best city-building games of all time, and sadly, the sequel isn't on that level yet for many players. Importantly, the framework of a great game seems to exist, so as long as Colossal Order remains committed to bringing new features to the title, it should eventually get to where it needs to be.
Cities: Skylines 2
- Released
- October 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
If you can dream it, you can build it. Raise a city from the ground up and transform it into the thriving metropolis only you can imagine. You've never experienced building on this scale. With deep simulation and a living economy, Cities: Skylines II delivers world-building without limits.
Lay the foundations for your city to begin. Create the roads, infrastructure, and systems that make life possible day to day. It's up to you – all of it.
How your city grows is your call too, but plan strategically. Every decision has an impact. Can you energize local industries while also using trade to boost the economy? What will make residential districts flourish without killing the buzz downtown? How will you meet the needs and desires of citizens while balancing the city's budget?
Your city never rests. Like any living, breathing world, it changes over time. Some changes will be slow and gradual, while others will be sudden and unexpected. So while seasons turn and night follows day, be ready to act when life doesn't go to plan.
The most realistic and detailed city builder ever, Cities: Skylines II pushes your creativity and problem-solving to another level. With beautifully rendered high-resolution graphics, it also inspires you to build the city of your dreams.
- Developer(s)
- Colossal Order
- Publisher(s)
- Paradox Interactive
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- City Builder
