The city-building genre was defined for a generation by Colossal Order’s Cities: Skylines. What began as a ambitious project from a relatively small team evolved into a modern classic, its longevity secured by a flood of creative DLC and a vibrant modding community. All eyes were on the sequel, Cities: Skylines II, to be the next evolutionary leap. But instead of a triumphant new era, the launch was mired in controversy, and now, in a stunning move, publisher Paradox Interactive is handing the keys to the city to a different developer.
A Rocky Road from the Start
Cities: Skylines II launched with high expectations but was immediately met with a wave of player criticism. The game currently holds a modest Metacritic score of 74, but it's the user score of 4.3 that truly tells the story of community discontent.
The core issues are well-documented by fans: performance problems that demanded high-end hardware for visuals that didn't seem to justify the cost, persistent crashes, and a list of missing features that were promised prior to release. For a community that expected a polished successor, it felt like a step backward.
The post-launch support has been a point of contention. While the team at Colossal Order has been working on performance patches and fixes, the pace has been described by many as frustratingly slow. This frustration was compounded when paid DLC was released while core game issues remained unresolved, creating a rift between the developers and their dedicated player base.
The Official Handover: Paradox Pulls the Plug on Colossal Order
In a move that clarifies the future of the franchise, Paradox Interactive has officially announced that development of Cities: Skylines II will be transitioned away from Colossal Order.
In a statement posted on the official Paradox forum, the publisher laid out the new roadmap. Colossal Order will see the game through the next few months, focusing on final performance patches and, notably, the long-awaited addition of bicycles—a feature fans have been clamoring for since launch.
After this final contribution, the reins will be handed over completely to Iceflake Studios.
Who is Iceflake Studios?
Taking over a high-profile title like Cities: Skylines II is no small task, so who is the new developer? Iceflake Studios, based in Finland, is a sister studio under the Paradox Interactive umbrella. They are best known for developing the post-apocalyptic colony builder Surviving the Aftermath.
While their portfolio consists of smaller titles compared to the behemoth that is Cities: Skylines, their experience in the management and building genre makes them a logical, if surprising, choice. The studio will be tasked with steering the ship forward, developing both free updates and the planned paid DLCs that are part of the game's season pass.
What Does This Mean for Players?
For the community, this announcement is a watershed moment. It represents a clear acknowledgment from Paradox that the current trajectory was unsustainable. The immediate future means waiting for Colossal Order's final updates, including the beloved bicycles. The long-term future now rests in the hands of Iceflake Studios, who will need to win back player trust through robust updates and transparent communication.
The legacy of Cities: Skylines II is still being written. Whether this developer shift becomes a footnote or the turning point for a remarkable comeback story is one of the most intriguing questions in gaming today. For those looking to form their own opinion, Cities: Skylines II is available on Amazon.