Cities: Skylines 2 DLC gets further delays as developer priorities assets editor

With the first anniversary of Cities: Skylines 2's disastrous launch approaching, publisher Paradox Interactive has announced further delays to the game's DLC as developer Colossal Order focuses its efforts on completing the "crucial" assets editor.

Colossal Order initially delayed Cities: Skylines 2's DLC last November, amid significant criticism of the game's performance. As a result, its Beach Properties Asset Pack was moved from its original 2023 release date to Q1 2024, while the Urban Promenades and Modern Architecture Creator Packs, and Bridges & Ports expansion shifted from Q1 2024 to Q2.

Unfortunately, Beach Properties' eventual arrival was slammed by players for its high price and lacklustre content. As a result, Paradox issued an apology for its "rushed" release, refunded players, and postponed work on all future paid DLC "indefinitely" while it continued to improve the game, shunting the Bridges & Ports expansion all the way into 2025.

Since then, Colossal Order has made improvements to Cities: Skylines 2's economy, introduced decor tools, and launched initial mod support. However, it's also indefinitely delayed the game's console release - which was originally due last October - and it's now announced still further delays for its DLC.

In a post shared on Steam, Colossal Order explained it's currently prioritising the completion of Cities: Skylines 2's asset editor - what it calls "one of the most crucial remaining features" for modding - admitting it has "presented us with more challenges than we expected". The studio says "more work is needed" before it can set a timeline for the editor's release, and so - in order to avoid splitting its focus - all DLC has been nudged back once more.

Cities: Skylines 2's Urban Promenades and Modern Architecture Creator Packs will now launch in Q4 this year, while the Bridges & Ports Expansion has slipped into Q2 2025. "We will continue dedicating our efforts to the base game before shifting focus to paid content," Colossal Order added. "Our goal is to ensure the community is satisfied with the state of the game, and once we've achieved that, we'll be excited to release these amazing packs to you."

The studio has also highlighted a number of additional key areas it'll be focussing on as development continues, including "adjustments" for hotels and tourism, an expansion of the decor features introduced in the recent Detailer’s Patch, further economy tweaks, and more bug fixes. "We are committed to making Cities: Skylines 2 the best game it can possibly be," it concluded, "and we'll keep working until we get there."

News of further delays to Cities: Skyles 2's DLC follows setbacks for a significant number of other new Paradox Interactive projects over the last few months. Prison Architect 2 was delayed indefinitely back in August, while Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 saw its release moved out of this year and into the "first half of 2025". Sims-like Life By You also suffered repeated delays but Paradox made the shock decision to pull the plug completely back in June, shutting down its developer - Paradox Tectonic - in the process.