Cities: Skylines 2 studio blames ongoing console delay on "hardware limitations"
But release remains "top priority".
Cities: Skylines 2 developer Colossal Order has admitted it's still no closer to announcing a console release date for the beleaguered city builder sequel, having run into what it calls "hardware limitations" impacting performance on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Cities: Skylines 2 was originally due to launch for Xbox and PlayStation 5 alongside the PC release last October, but Colossal Order and Paradox announced a last-minute delay, pushing it into 2024 to give it "more time to reach the quality targets we have set". However, following the game's disastrous launch on PC - plagued by complaints of poor performance and simulation issues - Paradox opted to delay its console release indefinitely.
Since then, we've not heard much about the game's progress on Xbox and PlayStation, but Colossal Order has now shared on update on Steam, detailing some of the challenges it's facing bringing Cities: Skylines 2 to consoles. "Currently, we are experiencing both simulation issues (CPU) and graphics issues (GPU) which become noticeable when players take certain actions that cause frame rate drops or memory overload," it explained. "These issues are particularly challenging due to the hardware limitations of consoles."
"For instance," it continued, "when placing larger buildings that involve numerous entities, the system struggles to handle the data load. During the calculation process (e.g., checking if there’s enough space or if any entities overlap with existing assets), performance bottlenecks arise, resulting in these noticeable issues."
Colossal Order says it's managed to get the game in a "stable and playable state" on consoles by "significantly lowering the graphics quality", but adds the compromise pushes things to a level it's "not willing to make." As such, its first task is to get the graphics quality to an "acceptable level", after which, "further optimisations are needed for both simulation and memory usage before we are ready to share the console version."
As to what all this means for Cities: Skylines 2's console launch date, it remains indefinitely delayed. "Until [these issues] are resolved," Colossal Order concluded, "we cannot provide a release estimate to avoid it being premature and potentially misleading. The console release remains a top priority for us, we have multiple solutions being explored with experts actively involved, and we're working hard to bring you the console version of Cities: Skylines 2."
Given the string of apologies Paradox has been forced to make following Cities: Skylines 2's release (in April it said "sorry" again after releasing heavily criticised DLC) getting the console version into an "acceptable state" is certainly the right move. But seeing as the company acknowledged the PC release had "not achieved the benchmark we targeted" before launch and still pushed it out, console players would probably be wise to be wary.
Colossal Order's console update comes ahead of a PC patch tomorrow, 26th November, promising "gameplay fixes, UI improvements, and more". It's also releasing the next of its free community created region packs - this one focusing on the United Kingdom - today.
Speaking to Eurogamer about Paradox's troubles earlier this year - which have included delays for Prison Architect 2 and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, as well as the cancellation of Life by You - Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester admitted, "It is clear that we have made the wrong calls in several projects, especially outside of our core, and this must change."