Bloody Hell, Cities: Skylines 1 Just Got a Necromancy Spell Cast on It While Its Sequel Still Fumbles for Its Wand
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Paradox Interactive is surprisingly launching a new expansion, 'Race Day,' for the original Cities: Skylines 1, two years after its last content, while its troubled sequel, Cities: Skylines 2, continues to struggle with fixes and developer changes. This unexpected move feels like a strategic pivot to leverage a beloved classic amidst broader publishing woes, leaving players to ponder what it means for the franchise's future.
Right, so apparently Paradox has been dabbling in a bit of digital necromancy, and fair dinkum, it's a sight to behold. Just when we'd all tucked Cities: Skylines 1 into its comfy, well-deserved retirement home – after a stellar eleven years, mind you – the publisher has decided to yank it back into the limelight with a brand-spanking new expansion. A whole two years after its last bit of content, mate! In gaming years, that’s practically an eon.
This isn't just a simple content drop; it’s like finding your old spellbook dusty on the shelf, giving it a good shake, and suddenly all the forgotten enchantments start sparking again. The new expansion, aptly titled 'Race Day,' is due out on March 10th for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It promises to let us transform our meticulously crafted cities into thrilling courses for motor racing, running, and cycling. Honestly, the idea of turning a bustling metropolis into a chaotic race track sounds like pure, unadulterated fun, a kind of controlled digital mayhem I can absolutely get behind.
This 'Race Day' gig isn't riding solo either. It's part of a grander 11th-anniversary bash for Cities: Skylines, bringing with it a smattering of other paid DLCs – two content creator packs (Iconic Brutalism and Renewed History) and an '8 Gear Radio' music station (because every city needs its own soundtrack to civic chaos, right?). And, crucially, a free base game update will be dropping too, adding roadside fences (finally, no more rogue pigeons escaping!) and an 'Employment Info View' for those of us who like to micromanage our workforce down to the last virtual tea break. All this shiny new-old content can be snagged separately or bundled up for a neat sum, arriving on March 10th.
But here's where my wizardly senses start tingling with a bit of a 'what in the digital dimensions is going on?' vibe. Because this unexpected revival isn't happening in a vacuum, is it? It’s unfolding against the rather tumultuous backdrop of Cities: Skylines 2's ongoing struggles to find its feet. Bless its troubled little heart, that sequel has been performing more like a spell that fizzled out and left a smoking crater instead of a grand magical effect ever since its launch a couple of years back. And let's not forget, the original masterminds, Colossal Order, are no longer even attached to the sequel’s development. That’s a pretty telling sign, if you ask me, like a wizard apprentice accidentally turning the master's spellbook into a newt and then being politely asked to, er, step away from the cauldron.
Now, Paradox is getting this 'Race Day' expansion made in 'close collaboration' with Tantalus Media, a studio primarily known for its solid remaster and porting work. On one hand, good on 'em for bringing in capable hands. On the other, it makes you wonder if this is a strategic move to bring back some goodwill or a bit of a desperate Hail Mary pass to keep the cash flow chugging while the sequel slowly, painstakingly, gets patched into shape under new stewardship – Iceflake Studios, in case you're wondering, who are doing their best to add things like an 'Iceflake Arena' and improved toggle zoning to CS2 in upcoming free updates. Still no firm word on when the long-promised CS2 console versions will finally arrive, though. 'On the way' could mean anything from 'next week' to 'when we figure out how to make a dragon fly backwards without exploding', couldn't it?
It’s almost as if Paradox is saying, 'Look, we know that last summoning ritual didn't quite go to plan, so here’s a classic from the archives that actually *worked*.' And let's be honest, mates, when a publisher starts doing this kind of pivot – especially after other major misfires like the indefinite delay of *Prison Architect 2* and the outright cancellation of *Life By You* – it’s rarely just because they woke up one morning and thought, 'You know what? Let's treat the OG some more!' This feels less like a passion project and more like a carefully calculated attempt to leverage a known quantity while the shiny new (but somewhat broken) thing is still being painstakingly assembled. It's a pragmatic move, perhaps, but one that undeniably raises eyebrows and a few rhetorical questions.
From a player's perspective, this is a bit of a mixed bag, isn't it? If you're still happily building sprawling metropolises in Cities: Skylines 1, then congratulations, you've just won the content lottery! More tools for your urban canvas, more ways to create your perfect, traffic-jammed paradise. But what about the folks who shelled out their hard-earned coin for CS2 on the promise of a glorious next-gen city builder, only to be met with a performance that felt like trying to run an AAA game on a potato? Are they feeling a bit overlooked, a tad like they backed the wrong horse in the great city-building race? I reckon that's fair dinkum to feel a bit miffed.
Ultimately, this unexpected return to Cities: Skylines 1 is a fascinating chapter in Paradox’s ongoing saga. It's a publisher trying to mend fences (literally, with that free update!) and manage expectations in a turbulent time. While my inherent skepticism makes me question the underlying motivations, there’s no denying that more content for a beloved game is, on the surface, a good thing. Let’s just hope this resurrection spell doesn't accidentally awaken something else entirely. What happens next? We’ll have to keep our digital eyes peeled, won't we?
Tags: Cities Skylines, Paradox Interactive, Gaming News, DLC, Industry Trends
Original article: Eurogamer