Now that Cities: Skylines 2 has finally arrived on PCs, players want to know if their systems will be able to handle it. While many city-building games typically run well on lower-spec devices, this simulation may deviate from that norm.

It demands above-average specifications, which has already disappointed dedicated fans, particularly those who are still playing the previous 4-GB installment. For detailed information, here is the comprehensive list of system requirements for Paradox Interactive’s anticipated simulation.

Cities Skylines 2
Cities: Skylines 2 Review

While it seems to be lacking some of the original's best features, Cities: Skylines 2 is still a fantastic city simulator that genre fans will enjoy.

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Lowest System Requirements

image showing a city in cities skylines 2.

To run Cities: Skylines 2 smoothly with minimum specs, players will need 8 GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X processor, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics card. Also, they must run the game on Windows 10 Home 64-bit with 60 GB of disk space.

  • Minimum CPU: Core i7-6700K or Ryzen 5 2600X
  • Minimum RAM: 8 GB
  • Minimum Graphics: GeForce GTX 970
  • Minimum Storage: 60 GB
  • Required OS: Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Cities: Skylines 2’s exact file size is 56.67 GB.

image showing cities skylines 2 gameplay.

For maximized performance, Cities: Skylines 2 requires 16 GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5-12600K or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card. The game also necessitates a 64-bit Windows 10 Home OS with 60 GB of free space.

  • Best CPU: Core i5-12600K or Ryzen 7 5800X
  • Best Graphics: GeForce RTX 3080
  • Best RAM: 16 GB or higher
  • Storage: 60 GB or more
  • Required OS: Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

The Controversies Surrounding Cities: Skylines 2 Specs

image showing a street view from cities skylines 2 gameplay.

Prior to the game’s release, Paradox Interactive, the developer, acknowledged that Cities: Skylines 2 fell short of meeting benchmark expectations. As a precautionary measure, the company raised the game’s minimum requirements, along with postponing its console release, resulting in many fans’ disappointment.

Before this change, the minimum requirements were a Core i7 4790K CPU with GTX 780 graphics, and the recommended specs included a Core i7 9700K and RTX 2080 Ti.

Despite that, most testers and early-access users have reported that the game remains in a beta state, plagued by performance problems like frame drops and texture glitches.

Unfortunately, the game’s performance drops as the cities get larger and the population grows. However, the developers have promised post-launch patches to address these problems.

Cities: Skylines 2 is available now for PC. Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 versions will be released in the spring of 2024.

MORE: All Confirmed Features for Cities: Skylines 2