«We are currently experiencing both simulation (CPU) and graphics (GPU) issues, which are especially noticeable when players perform certain actions that cause drops in frame rate or memory overload,» says Colossal Order. «These problems are especially challenging due to the hardware limitations of the consoles.» This means that the studio is not yet in a position to offer a reliable release date, but it wants to keep console players who have been waiting for more than a year for their version up to date.
Colossal Order adds that they have made Cities: Skylines II run stable and playable on consoles, but «significantly reducing the quality of the graphics.» However, the development team is not willing to compromise the visual fidelity of the game, and to reach an acceptable level «further optimizations for both simulation and memory usage will be necessary.» Until the issue is resolved, Cities: Skylines II will not have a release date for PS5 and Xbox Series. The last thing Colossal Order wants is to delay this version initially scheduled for 2023 again.
The development team ends its message by stating that they have different solutions on the table that are already being explored, and adds that the version of Cities: Skylines II for consoles «remains a priority for us.»
For PC players, the news is the launch of the UK Region Pack, which celebrates the architectural heritage of the United Kingdom to give a British touch to cities. In addition to iconic buildings, this asset pack created by Macwelshman and Rik4000 includes six new housing areas. Additionally, Cities: Skylines II players will receive a small patch tomorrow that fixes bugs and introduces UI improvements.