Cities: Skylines 2 Xbox release gets another disappointing delay as devs refund PC DLC

Cities Skylines 2 has been delayed on consoles again as the developers apologize for the PC release, offering compensation and refunds for the DLC.

Heidi Nicholas

Published 18 Apr 2024

It's not yet time to begin unlocking the Cities Skylines 2 achievements on Xbox Series X|S as Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive have confirmed that Cities Skylines 2 has been delayed for consoles again. The game is out for PC and PC Game Pass already, but it unfortunately seems as though it needs some work before it could become one of the best Game Pass games, as the console delay news came as part of a wider post in which the team apologized for the "disappointment" about the PC release and its DLC, and promised compensation for those who bought the DLC.

Cities Skylines 2 has been pushed back for Xbox Series X|S

"As you know, our plan was to release in Spring of this year," the Cities Skylines 2 team says of the console release. "We have been hesitant to communicate an actual release window because of the uncertainty we are facing, and to not make further promises we might not be able to keep. We have been struggling to get Cities: Skylines II to the necessary level of optimization for a console release, but are now hopeful that an upcoming build delivery in April will demonstrate sufficient progress for us to progress with a release candidate, and then a release build targeted for October.

"Before we have seen and evaluated the progress made in these builds however, we will not be able to confirm the release date, and even then, some uncertainty always remains. Our ambition is to deliver the experience that you all deserved at launch, but it will take time." The update post clarifies that there are separate teams for the console release and PC development, "so it will be progressing without splitting our focus or time."

This news was part of a broader update from the team, who first discussed the PC release and the following DLC. "We see and understand the disappointment many of you have expressed after the release of Cities: Skylines II and the recent release of Beach Properties. We asked for your patience and support, and you’ve shown those. In return, we let you down. We thought we could make up for the shortcomings of the game in a timeframe that was unrealistic, and rushed out a DLC that should not have been published in its current form. For all this, we are truly sorry. When we’ve made statements like this one before, it’s included a pledge to keep making improvements, and while we are working on these updates, they haven’t happened at a speed or magnitude that is acceptable, and it pains us that we've now lost the trust of many of you. We want to do better."

Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive plan to do this by compensating players who bought Beach Properties. "We will change the pack to be a free addition to the game, refund it to the extent possible, and provide additional content within the Ultimate Edition," the team says, adding that it isn't possible to refund Ultimate Edition buyers due to "significant complexities for executing a partial refund." However, they are "committed to repaying that loyalty," and will compensate Ultimate Edition buyers by "adding three Creator Packs and three Radio Stations which, together, sum up to a value of USD 39.99. This solution hopefully ensures that you, regardless of purchase method, feel you receive fair compensation."

As it stands, the PC Game Pass version of Cities Skylines 2 has one unobtainable achievement and another buggy one, while wider complaints were made about the game's performance and other issues. Paradox Interactive previously discussed how it planned to delay DLC to prioritize performance and fixes.

"In closing, we want to reaffirm our dedication to making Cities: Skylines II the best city builder it can be. We appreciate your support and feedback, and hope we can regain your trust going forward. It’s our responsibility to earn it, and we hope these actions are a first step in the right direction," the team concludes. "We are deeply grateful for your continued passion for our game. Please stay tuned for further updates on the game and the refund process, and thank you for being a part of our community."

It might be a while before we get to Cities Skylines 2 on Xbox, but we have a list of all the upcoming Game Pass games for you to check out while we wait.

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Delayed Xbox Series X|S

Written by Heidi Nicholas

Heidi tends to lean towards indie games, RPGs, and open-world games on Xbox, and when not playing Disney Dreamlight Valley, happily installs every new wholesome game that appears on Xbox Game Pass, before diving back into favorites like The Witcher 3. She's looking forward to Age of Mythology Retold, Everwild, Fable, and Avowed on the Xbox horizon. Heidi graduated with an MA in English Literature before joining the TrueAchievements team.