Cities: Skylines 2 launching later this year

Cities: Skylines 2, the sequel to Paradox Interactive’s highly successful 2015 city-builder, is in development and coming soon, the publisher announced on Monday during a livestream showcase of coming attractions.

News of the sequel headlined a presentation that included announcements of expansions and DLC for grand strategy mainstays Crusader Kings 3 and Europa Universalis 4, and an all-new, turn-based strategy game called The Lamplighters League.

A news release following the show said Cities: Skylines 2 would allow players to develop municipalities that grow “from a humble village to a bustling metropolis … complete with fully realized transport and economy systems, a wealth of construction and customization options, and advanced modding capabilities.”

Cities: Skylines 2 will launch in 2023 for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, Paradox Interactive said. Developed by Finland-based Colossal Order, the first Cities: Skylines was both a commercial and critical success, and easily overtook Maxis’ SimCity franchise following the disastrous launch of its 2013 reboot, which ultimately led to that studio’s closure.

As for the other wares announced Monday:

• The Lamplighters League, from Battletech developer Harebrained Schemes, is a “pulp adventure set in an alternate 1930s,” Paradox said in a statement. In it, players take over a ragtag crew of adventurers who are battling an evil cabal bent on world domination. Gameplay includes “real-time infiltration, turn-based tactical combat, and managing a growing team of misfits.” The Lamplighters League and the Tower at the End of the World (its full title) launches on Windows PC and Xbox Series X later in 2023.

• Life by You, from Paradox Tectonic, is a “next-generation life simulation game” lead by Rod Humble, whose credits include The Sims and Second Life. A longer look at Life by You is promised to arrive March 20.

• Crusader Kings 3: Tours and Tournaments is the sixth expansion coming to the 2020 game. Per its title, players can stage or observe jousting tournaments and other martial games across their kingdom, using them to further their political aims, consolidate their power, or take a highly personal revenge. “Dozens of new events” are promised in this expansion.
• Europa Universalis 4: Domination will be the 20th expansion for the global grand strategy game, which launched on PC a decade ago. The expansion gives several nations new military units and political estates to manage, plus “dozens of historical events that make the history of the early modern world come vividly to life.”
• Surviving the Aftermath: Rebirth is a forthcoming expansion to the 2021 sci-fi colony builder. It will introduce terraforming to the players’ world, granting them “the power to modify and revitalize the environment for their colonists.”