Cities: Skylines II News

New Cities: Skyline 2 update reduces homelessness and makes it easier to track, alongside new difficulty modes

Cities: Skylines 2 has a new patch that makes a raft of changes to the Paradox city builder's UI and systems such as traffic and garbage, while adding two new Easy and Normal difficulty modes and ten 'birthday parks' to celebrate the first game's 10 year anniversary.

The developers have also made some "quality-of-life improvements related to homelessness". That's "quality-of-life" in the vacuum-sealed software development sense of the simulation being nicer to operate, rather than quality of life in the sense of having a roof over your head. I would probably have gone with some slightly less dystopian phrasing, Colossal Order.

[h2]Hello Mayors![/h2]

We have a new Patch for you! Patch 1.2.5f1 arrives with A bunch of new parks that we mentioned briefly in the Anniversary Announcement on the 10th, but it also contains many fixes! Let’s jump in!

This patch includes several quality-of-life improvements related to homelessness:

Homelessness statistic

Homelessness added to Population Info View
Homeless households visible and selectable in parks’ Selected Info Panel
Improvements to when citizens move out to reduce homelessness

These changes make it easier to track homelessness, find homeless populations in your city, and check the situation for individual homeless citizens. If the homeless in your city are generally employed, they simply need affordable housing. If they are also unemployed, they will need jobs suitable for their education level before they can leave the homeless status behind.

Additionally, we have improved the logic behind newly adult citizens moving out of their childhood homes. Previously, they would move out immediately once they reached adulthood, and if no affordable homes were available, they would become homeless.

Now, they will stay with their parents until certain conditions are met:

Newly adult citizens need a job before moving out.
They contribute to the household’s wealth until the household can afford to provide them with starting money, giving them a better chance to start a new life on their own.
They check if there are available homes in the city before moving out.
- If there are not enough homes available in the city, they may choose to move out of the city and become commuters. Commuters can and often will move to the city when housing becomes available.

1.2.5f1 Patch Notes

Known issues:

Crime accumulation fixes might require more police force in existing cities and for efficient crime handling the need to assign police to districts.
Industrial and Office zone tax income has lowered following a bug fix that deducts wages from untaxed income. If office zones struggle to be profitable, then make sure they have enough highly educated workforce available.

[h2]New features:[/h2]

Added Easy and Normal modes.
10 Cities: Skylines 10 years birthday parks:
Chirplet Park
Chirper Park
Chirper Adventure Park
Chirper Fun Time Complex
Activity Playground
Hilly Playground
Play Round
Basketball Center
Dog Activity Park
Park Cafe

[h2]Gameplay Fixes & Improvements:[/h2]

Fixed a crash to desktop when loading a save with Region Pack content after disabling the pack.
Fixed a crash to desktop in saves with missing zone types.
Fixed a crash to desktop in a save with a missing asset.
Fixed a crash to desktop when selecting an upgrade from the Add Object menu while having an unsupported object selected.
Fixed a crash to desktop when snapping the Landfill or Extractor lot area to the starting node.
Fixed a crash to desktop after a car collides with a parked track vehicle.
Fixed rare crash to desktop related to an icon having unsupported Inkscape SVG CSS style.
Crime-related fixes:
- Fixed a bug with crime probability accumulation causing buildings to always look green in police info view and police cars not to patrol.
- Fixed an issue with police cars ignoring criminals while standing at a crime scene.
- Fixed the low/high visual display for Jail & Prison Availability not matching the actual capacity.
Homeless fixes:
- Added homeless information to Population info view. The Homeless info view highlights the location of occupied homeless encampments.
- Added household sidebar for homeless citizens/households/encampments.
- Added residents section for homeless encampments (parks, abandoned buildings).
- Added homeless count to Statistics.
- Improved the logic for citizens moving out. Citizens turning adults are now less likely to become homeless and stay home longer. They do not move out until they get starting money from the household, have a job, and the city has suitable houses available. They can also move out of the city and become commuters if no suitable housing is available.
- Fixed an issue with homeless citizens getting stuck after demolishing buildings in cities built before version 1.1.8f1.
- Fixed homeless citizens having a blank destination field.
- Landmark buildings no longer have homeless encampments:
Garbage fixes:
- Adjusted park buildings' garbage accumulation.
- Fixed a bug in garbage accumulation related to park employees.
- Fixed wrongly calculated garbage amount for service buildings.
- Increased the transport capacity of Garbage City Service buildings.
- Increased default Garbage Storage Capacity of Landfill so Dump Trucks can collect full loads when the building is emptying.
Traffic fixes:
- Improved citizen pathfinding so they can walk through parks connected to multiple roads.
- Improved traffic flow in some intersections by giving vehicles blocking crossing traffic priority to exit the intersection.
- Improved roadside parking so car orientation is based on the connected driveway direction.
- Improved boarding time for taxis.
- Fixed firetrucks being unable to reach some sub-building upgrades that are not by a road.
- Fixed buses making unexpected u-turns when leaving a stop. This ensures their travel path matches the planned route.
- Fixed cars unnecessarily despawning in roundabouts. Happened more often with busy multi-lane roundabouts and emergency vehicles.
- Fixed cars incorrectly slowing down when going through green traffic lights.
- Fixed medical helicopters transporting injured patients to the Disease Control Center even though it cannot heal them. This also fixes some issues with healthcare vehicles trying to pick up citizens who are in other vehicles.
- Fixed delivery trucks/extractor vehicles with trailers reversing through themselves. Instead, they enter the building, disappear, and then spawn again in the correct ride direction.
Fixed trucks collecting goods from empty warehouses.
Fixed unnecessary overlap errors with existing areas when creating a new polygon area.
Fixed Greenhouses situated in Vegetable Farming areas burning indefinitely. The fire effect played incorrectly for extractor buildings when the main building was on fire.
Fixed relocating a City Service building or its Upgrades incurring a cost when the selected object is placed in the exact same location.
Fixed relocation action being canceled when trying to relocate buildings to a forbidden place.
Fixed Disaster Response Unit incorrectly increasing displayed maximum vehicle count.
Fixed Bell Tower of Xi'an Landmark displaying "No pedestrian access" notification, even though it is properly attached to a road.
Fixed pathfinding issue with NA_ResidentialHigh01_L5_2x4.
Added missing underground cables to visualize electricity flow under standalone bus lanes and tram tracks.
Added the possibility to upgrade standalone bus lanes with lighting. Standalone bus lanes without this upgrade do not transport electricity.
Improved company profitability calculations to compare last month's profit to the current month's profit for a more accurate number.
Adjusted the passenger capacity of AirplanePassenger02.
Reduced cloudiness and rain by approximately 20% for Great Highlands, Lakeland, Mountain Village, Tampere, Sweeping Plains, Windy Fjords, Archipelago, Barrier Island, River Delta, San Francisco, and Waterway Pass.
Increased precipitation turbulence for San Francisco map to increase the amount of rain in spring above 0.3. Balanced lightning strike's occurrence probability to 5% and rain requirement to 0.3.
Adjusted Water Surface values to make the waves look less pronounced and smaller to fit the scale of the terrain/cities and generic wind conditions better.
Adjusted temperate cliff and dirt base color to be a bit less saturated and slightly darker.
Adjusted aerial perspective to slightly blue.
Adjusted seasons to be brighter and have a bit higher contrast.
Adjusted day/night contrast to be higher and adjusted the night tint color.
Adjusted terrain far tiling so it tiles less.
Adjusted flower colors so they don’t change color between spring and summer.

[h2]UI Fixes & Improvements:[/h2]

Updated main menu background images.
Added new style UI icons.
Added the option to select Extractors/Landfills by clicking their polygon area.
Updated Electricity statistics colors for clarity.
Improved Forestry Area and its boundaries to be more visible in dense forest areas.
Improved parking lot edges to be more visible. Building lot overlay is more visible when placing or when it overlaps other placements.
Added a unique asset label for unique buildings.
Text updates and fixed some translation bugs.
When creating a Paradox Account the country list is sorted alphabetically in all languages.
Multiple controller fixes.
Multiple SFX fixes.
Added hotkey to confirmation.
- Press enter to confirm action on popup.
- Left/right arrow keys to select button.
Fixed household members statistics graph counting members and education level twice for families.
Fixed the landscaping tool changing the terrain without any input after hovering over any UI while terraforming.
Fixed ruins exceeding the city limits being moveable.

[h2]Modding Fixes & Improvements:[/h2]

Fixed climate latitude/longitude not being properly applied to simulation.

[h2]Misc:[/h2]

Update to Unity2022.3.57f1
Fixed misaligned assets in the Solar Power Plant.
Fixed camera collision with two High Density Office buildings.
Fixed some students can walk through the fence at the City Elementary School.

[h2]Paradox Mods Fixes & Improvements:[/h2]

Updated PDX SDK to 1.31.0
Updated Mods UI 1.9.0
Added support for GoFundMe external link
Allow setting social username if the user doesn't have one in My profile
Show tag usage count
Show DLC dependency names
Bug fixes:
- Fixed issue where pressing Escape would close Mods UI when in a modal
- Various minor bug fixes

As always, please report any and all bugs that you're experiencing to our Bug Report Forum; it has a form that will give us the information we need to help you help us fix the game further!

New Creator Packs & Radio Stations | Available Now for Cities: Skylines II

Three brand-new Creator Packs and three radio stations are available now!
Whether you’re crafting a bustling Chinese market quarter, restoring the sun-soaked facades of the Mediterranean, or designing the ultimate entertainment hub, each of these packs bring their own unique flair to your urban landscapes.

All three Creator Packs and Radio Stations are included in the Ultimate Edition and available as a bundle together in the Leisure & Legacy Bundle.

Before we dive into details of each of the 3 creator packs, let’s take a look at what’s included in the anniversary free patch.

C:SII Anniversary Patch
10 years, 10 free assets, along with a bunch of fixes. Read the full patch notes here - https://pdxint.at/4ibqeeV

Cities: Skylines 10th anniversary will bring updates and DLC for both games

Paradox and Colossal Order have announced that to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Cities: Skylines that both the original and sequel are getting updates (and of course more DLC).

Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/03/cities-skylines-10th-anniversary-will-bring-updates-and-dlc-for-both-games/

10 Years of Cities: Skylines

We’re turning 10 today, a milestone made possible by the passion and creativity of our incredible community. From the first roads placed to the sprawling metropolises of today, this decade has been shaped by the dedication of city builders like you—whose feedback, support, and love for the game continue to inspire us every day.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
As we mark this incredible milestone, we’re dedicating March to celebrating you!

This will be a month to remember, with a special anniversary roadmap featuring new content, new releases, events, contests, and of course, birthday presents to revisit the legacy of Cities: Skylines.

Colossal Order put it in their own words: “We founded Colossal Order with the dream of creating a city-builder that would bring more freedom and creativity to the cities players can build. With Cities: Skylines, that dream not only came true, but thanks to the continued support of our amazing fans, we had the opportunity to keep growing and building this game and community many years after its release and take it even further than anticipated. It's been an incredible journey that's taught us so much — and still has more to teach — and we are forever grateful to everyone who made it possible and who joined us along the way.”

Take a look ahead at what’s in store for the anniversary celebration throughout the month of March.

[h2]Cities: Skylines II Releases | Coming 18th March 2025[/h2]
[h3]Cities: Skylines II Anniversary Special patch - 10 free assets![/h3]
To mark this milestone, we’re adding a special anniversary patch for Cities: Skylines II featuring 10 free assets, some with a very special makeover—starring none other than Chirper! After all, where there’s party, play, and fun, there’s Chirper.

We’re also introducing three brand-new Creator Packs and three radio stations — a new wave of exciting content to expand your city. Whether you’re crafting a bustling Chinese market quarter, restoring the sun-soaked facades of the Mediterranean, or designing the ultimate entertainment hub, each of these packs bring their own unique flair to your urban landscapes. These packs are included in the Cities: Skylines II - Ultimate Edition.
Now, Let’s dive into the Creator Packs and what they bring to your cityscape:

[h3]Dragon Gate[/h3]
[h3]Content Creator Pack by Emperor Li[/h3]
This Creator Pack by community creator ‘Emperor Li’ blends tradition and modernity. It allows you to create a vibrant Chinese-inspired market quarter. Let your citizens stroll down shopping streets adorned with classic elements such as lanterns and shop signs, or visit the traditional temple that adds a touch of East Asian splendor to your cityscape. With vibrant red and gold, Dragon Gate will bring the fiery charm and elegance of Chinese architecture to your city.

[h3][h3]Leisure Venues[/h3]
[h3]Content Creator Pack by Gruny[/h3][/h3]
Elevate your city's entertainment scene with the Creator Pack ‘Leisure Venues’. Designed by community creator ‘Gruny,’ this pack transforms your city into a vibrant hub where citizens can unwind, have fun, and enjoy life to the fullest. From delightful dining spots and serene parks to thrilling sports facilities and nightlife venues, this pack has all that your citizens need to enjoy their free time.

[h3]Mediterranean Heritage[/h3]
[h3]Content Creator Pack by Zarrix[/h3]
Explore the timeless charm of Mediterranean architecture with this Creator Pack, designed by community creator ‘Zarrix.’ ‘Mediterranean Heritage’ introduces a range of historic buildings from the 15th to 19th century from regions such as Italy, Spain, Portugal and Southern France. Featuring fluid design and characteristic soft color variations, this pack will bring Southern European elegance with a modern flair to your city.

[h3]Atmospheric Piano Station[/h3]
[h3]Radio Station[/h3]
Let the daydreams flow while listening to enchanting piano compositions, perfect for that afternoon stroll in the city. An elegant auditory experience that complements any cityscape. Featuring delicate melodies, this channel offers a relaxing and sophisticated atmosphere for your city building.
This radio pairs well with the ‘Mediterranean Heritage’ Creator Pack!

[h3]Jade Road Station[/h3]
[h3]Radio Station[/h3]
Journey through the heart of China with a blend of traditional and contemporary music, celebrating the country’s rich culture and heritage. Explore new roads ahead and let your citizens follow a vibrant musical journey through the Middle Kingdom.
This radio pairs well with the ‘Dragon Gate’ Creator Pack!

[h3]Feelgood Funk Station[/h3]
[h3]Radio Station[/h3]
This radio brings some vibrant grooves of the ’70s right to your city. Packed with soulful basslines, rhythms, and a soft touch of disco, this station will keep your citizens moving (and grooving). Tune in for feel-good hits that are perfect for brightening up any day!
This radio pairs well with the ‘Leisure Venues’ Creator Pack!

[h2]Cities: Skylines Releases | Coming 25th March 2025[/h2]

Introducing two brand-new Content Creator Packs and a relaxing new radio station. From the heart of a bustling downtown to the quiet charm of the countryside, these packs add new dimensions to your city.

And that’s not all…

It’s our birthday, and we brought cake!
But where’s the best place to celebrate 10 years of Cities: Skylines? We thought long and hard… and of course, it had to be parks!

Free Cities: Skylines Anniversary Special patch - New Parks
10 years of Cities: Skylines and a small tribute to this long journey.

Celebrate a decade of city-building with free parks that reflect the expansions you own. The Cities: Skylines 10th Anniversary patch includes 3 new parks. Each park dynamically adapts to the DLCs you own—creating a personalized tribute to your unique city-building journey.

[h3]Emerging Downtown[/h3]
[h3]Content Creator Pack by Smilies[/h3]
Watch your city evolve with “Emerging Downtown” crafted by community creator ‘Smilies.’ This Content Creator Pack includes a big variety of new buildings spread over different lot sizes and levels, ranging from small, weathered buildings to renovated, modern designs. With materials like brick, plaster, and wood siding, you can create a vibrant part of town that transforms from rustic charm to a busy downtown.

[h3]Countryside[/h3]
[h3]Content Creator Pack by Cbudd[/h3]
Explore the rural side of town with “Countryside,” created by community creator ‘Cbudd.’ This Creator Pack includes new buildings, and props, such as a local food market, a quaint town hall, a cozy rural library, and even a small countryside police station manned by just a couple of sheriffs. Every element in this pack captures the idyllic charm of peaceful countryside living.

[h3]Harvest Harmony[/h3]
[h3]Radio Station[/h3]
Escape to the countryside with ”Harvest Harmony,” a Radio Station that embodies wide-open fields and rural landscapes. With 16 tracks, you’ll be transported to rolling hills and golden sunsets, the perfect soundtrack for your journey through the farmlands.

[h2]Steam Free To Play, Unique Offers, City Builder & Colony Fest[/h2]
[h3]Build, Play, Celebrate—All Month Long![/h3]

Mark your calendars! We’re bringing the celebration to everyone — whether you’re a seasoned mayor or a newcomer ready to break ground, there will be plenty of chances to play, experiment, and experience the world of Cities: Skylines. Throughout the month, both Cities: Skylines and Cities: Skylines II will be part of exciting events and promotions, including the Steam City-Builder Fest—a celebration of all things city-building.

For those diving in for the first time and looking to experience where it all began, Cities: Skylines will have a Steam Free-to-Play period from March 20th to March 24th. There’s more— we’re also launching a subscription service for the original Cities: Skylines to make our massive 65+ DLC catalog more accessible than ever. New DLCs will be included in the subscription, so you’ll always have the latest content at your fingertips. Long-time players, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered, too, with a special completion offer to round up your collection. If you have questions about the subscription, here’s an FAQ with answers - https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/faq-for-cities-skylines-1-subscription-launch.1730570/