Cities Skylines 2 in 2026: The Harsh Truth

Cities Skylines 2 had a rough launch, but a lot has changed since then. 2026 is a big year for Cities 2, with a new developer (Iceflake Studios) tasked with cleaning up the beta mod and asset editing tools, lifting the simulations accuracy and performance, and implementing missing features from Cities Skylines. Cities Skylines 2 will be three years old later in 2026 - and this year is probably the best chance Cities 2 has had since launch to turn things around... though its not without risks and challenges. In this video I'll review Cities Skylines 2, how it has developed so far, and how it continues to be problematic. We'll dive into specifics like traffic AI, the economic sim, and new tools. I'll also consider some of the FAQ's like is cities skylines 2 good now? is cities 2 worth it? and from a buyers guide perspective: Cities Skylines 1 vs Cities Skylines 2. I'll also explore Colossal Order's legacy - from bikes to bad traffic, beta tools through botch communications.. it's been a wild ride. Cities Skylines II is in a noticeably better state than it was back in October 2023, but it has a lot more work to do before it can truly compete as the definitive city builder. Following my Cities Skylines 2 - Two Years Later look at the game last October, this is my honest review of Cities Skylines 2 as we kick into February 2026. A LOT has changed! I look forward to seeing how the new Finnish developers, Iceflake Studios, are going to do things differently... and to see how Cities Skylines 2 will change under their development and Paradox Interactive's publishing oversight. I think this game can be the best simulation game and citybuilder out there - arguably, it already looks the part. But Cities 2 is not good enough yet. TIMECARDS 0:00 - CITIES SKYLINES 2 IN 2026 0:33 - It Was A Smoking Hot Pile of Garbage 1:50 - COLOSSAL ORDER'S LEGACY 2:10 - Bikes 2:30 - Bad Traffic 3:05 - Beta Tools 3:45 - DLC AND NEW CONTENT 4:35 - Cool Community Content 5:30 - NEW BEGINNINGS, NEW DEVELOPER 6:20 - Cities Skylines 2 Console Edition 7:05 - Why Paradox Picked ICEFLAKE STUDIOS 9:00 - Cities 2's Boggy, Toxic Comms 10:10 - 2026 Developments 11:30 - Performance & Stability 12:50 - Salvageable Fails 15:20 - A Fresh Start for Cities Skylines 2 16:15 - Is Cities Skylines 2 Good Now? 16:45 - Cities 1 vs Cities 2 17:55 - Cities Skylines 2 & DLC Guide 19:00 - THE FUTURE OF CITIES SKYLINES 2 SUPPORTS: The best ways - Buy Me A Coffee! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jumbopixel Or - YouTube Membership - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiM2-cXu3Bbg5VrJlsK50PA/join Alternatively - Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/JumboPixel?fan_landing=true SOCIALS: Twitter https://twitter.com/jumbopixel_ Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/jumbopixel _____ Business Contact: For business enquiries, please reach out via email: thejumbopixel(at)gmail(dot)com Please be direct, and use the subject line to help filter your message. i.e: sponsorship enquiries with "SPONSORSHIP - "