Development Challenges for Xbox Version of Cities: Skylines 2 Ahead of Game Pass Launch

Over a year ago, Paradox Interactive brought its expansive city-building game, Cities: Skylines 2, to PC Game Pass. At the same time, the console version faced delays due to optimization troubles. Fast forward to November 2024, and it seems we’re still waiting for that elusive launch on the Xbox Series X|S.

In a recent update on the game’s Steam page, Paradox shared some insights into the planned console release and the difficulties they’re encountering in getting the Xbox version up and running. Right now, the game can be played on console, but only after significantly lowering the graphics quality—something the team isn’t prepared to do.

“We’re grappling with both simulation issues (CPU) and graphics challenges (GPU) that become apparent when certain player actions trigger frame rate drops or memory overloads. These hurdles are particularly tricky due to the hardware constraints of consoles. We’ve managed to stabilize the game at a playable level by reducing graphics quality significantly. However, this compromise is not acceptable to us. Once we reach an acceptable quality, further tweaks on simulation and memory usage will be necessary before we can present the console version,” explained the team.

While they are unable to provide a release estimate at present—concerned about premature and misleading promises—Paradox assures fans that bringing Cities: Skylines 2 to Xbox remains a top priority. Hopefully, we’ll hear some encouraging updates about its Game Pass arrival soon.

Interestingly, the team has not specifically mentioned any struggles related to the Xbox Series S, unlike other developers who have been candid about their challenges with the all-digital console. We’ll have to keep an eye on how this situation evolves, and with any luck, the game will hit the console Game Pass sooner rather than later.

Will we ever see it on console? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this latest update in the comments below.

Ben Kerry, a News Writer at Pure Xbox who loves action, racing, and shooting in any Xbox game, finds himself navigating this intriguing narrative. When not gripping his Xbox controller, he’s likely absorbed in music, catching a football game on TV, or indulging in a meal somewhere.