Cities: Skylines 2 Arrives Later This Year, Promises To Be Most Realistic City-Builder Ever

Cities: Skylines 2 has officially been announced as part of publisher Paradox Interactive's recent reveal event, and it promises to be the "most realistic city builder-ever" when it launches later this year.

A cinematic announcement trailer doesn't reveal any real details on what will separate the upcoming sequel from the original Cities: Skylines, but the game's official product page on Steam says players will be able to create and manage their own cities "without restrictions." That will include things like living economies, transportation systems, and more.

Cities built in Cities: Skylines 2 will "evolve and react" to player choices, and city-builders will need to put their planning skills to the test in order to grow their city from a small town to a bustling metropolis that will attract residents, tourists, and businesses. Developer Colossal Order is also promising the game will support "advanced modding capabilities."

The original Cities: Skylines released in 2015 for PC and was eventually ported to consoles, including Nintendo Switch. GameSpot's Cities: Skylines review, which was written by a real-life mayor, awarded the title a 8/10, praising its realistic city-building mechanics and mod-friendly nature while criticizing the game's dry presentation and convoluted transportation systems.

No specific release window aside from sometime in 2023 has been given, but we do know the platforms Cities: Skylines 2 will be releasing on. City builders will be able to take Cities: Skylines 2 for a spin on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, and the game will also be coming to Xbox Game Pass.