Today Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive shared news about modding and performance for the upcoming city-builder Cities: Skylines 2.
First of all, we learn in the announcement that the in-game editor is being beta tested and will launch shortly after the game's release. It'll have a basic framework at the beginning, but it'll continually evolve afterward, with more in-depth details promised for a later date.
Perhaps the most relevant element is the shift to a new proprietary mods platform, Paradox Mods. While this means that there will be a learning curve, the main advantage is that it's platform agnostic so console players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will get access to asset mods.
For those unfamiliar with Cities: Skylines, asset mods basically are the simpler tier of mods that add assets (new buildings, vehicles, decorations, etc.) to the game.
The next bit of news is perhaps not as positive. Colossal Order warns that Cities: Skylines 2 is a next-gen title and while the team has worked hard to achieve its performance targets, it has not managed to do so in time for launch.
That being said, they believe it's still best for the project not to delay the game as they still think it offers "a great experience" that we will enjoy. They also pledge to continue improving performance over the coming months, but they preferred to come out clean in order to manage expectations.
The ambition of the team is for Cities: Skylines 2 to be enjoyed by as many players as possible, and they're "committed to ensuring it reaches its full potential."
Cities: Skylines 2 will be released on PC on October 24 with recently updated hardware specs, while the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions will come in spring 2024,
If you'd like to read more, you can check out my detailed hands-on preview from when I tested the game at Gamescom in Cologne. If it makes you feel better, performance didn't feel bad back then, but I have no information on the rig I played on.
