Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

when we have some news?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Cities: Skylines 2 3741 Cities Skylines 2: User Mods 863 Bug Reports 7484 Suggestions 1772 Official Information & Announcements 133 Analyze and Speculate 187
Arthie said:
Today, the 19th, marks two months of silence in every forum, store, shape and form
Click to expand...
And yet, it gives us answers.

we will continue to keep you informed of our progress as soon as we have something more concrete to share.

Obviously, since March 18th there haven't been any substantial developments or progress in the areas of the Asset Editor or the console versions.

As far as patches are concerned, it is very obvious that those are hold back to be released with the upcoming DLC.
 
  • 2Like
  • 1
Reactions:
  • 6Like
  • 1
Reactions:
Guys, once again: we do have all the information some are asking for.

We know that the game has yet to be finished.
We know that a new DLC is planned to be released this quarter.
We know that there are several severe bugs waiting for patching.

This means there are four major areas on which CO is expected to be currently working:
  1. Asset Editor: last information was it is in the works. No time estimates at all were given
  2. Consoles version: last information was it will NOT be released before summer. No estimates for a later release were given.
  3. DLC: this is due in this quarter which technically could mean the 30th of June. It is likely that regardless of the progress made it will be released at end of June as CO will be absent due to their summer vacation and the timespan between release and continuation of working in August shouldn't be too long.
  4. Patches: we know it is PDX/CO standard procedure to bundle them with DLC releases. So, there won't be a patch prior to the release of B&P.
As there are only five weeks left before B&P has to be released (in what state ever) we can safely assume that any information they would be willing to give about any other aspect of the game will be given with the advertising for the DLC which has yet to start.
It is similar with the patch infos as that one will be accompanying B&P.

As from a marketing perspective it would be wise to release the DLC/patch as late as possible within the given time window we can assume it will be released not prior to June 16th (unlikely in my eyes) or June 23rd (more likely).
The advertisement efforts are likely to start one week before that at the earliest, so either at the 9th of June (again, unlikely) or at the 16th. Then they all will show up again and tell us how much they missed us, how dear we (=our wallets) are to them and how excited they are to get our money share information with us.
After the release there will be a timespan of appr. one week in which they may answer questions if those are not too detailled. Then they will go radio silent again till the next patch which might be coming up in September at the earliest.

That's the schedule. Don't expect anything more.
 
Last edited:
  • 7Like
  • 7
  • 4
  • 1
Reactions:
saladuit said:
How do you mean? Progress update or dev diary would be very welcome at this point. We are barely in early access almost 2 years after release and you state we have all the info we need?
Click to expand...
I do not think he is stating that it is good (or bad). His description of what to expect seems (depressingly) accurate. It aligns with what we have seen so far, and expecting little avoid (too much) disappointment.

I am personally expecting news that the studio is shutting down at some point in 2026. Given player numbers and the state of the game I don't see meaningful profit going forward.

I think it all come down to their loss of key staff members in the very early years of CS2 development. They never recovered and there is a lack of Know-How they cannot digg out of.

I love CS1, so I obviously hope I am wrong and we see a great comeback.
 
  • 8Like
  • 1
Reactions:
saladuit said:
How do you mean? Progress update or dev diary would be very welcome at this point. We are barely in early access almost 2 years after release and you state we have all the info we need?

I must respectfully disagree
Click to expand...
We do have all the information needed to give us a clear picture of what to expect in the next months.
Why there won't be a "progress update" at this moment I have explained in detail in my previous posting. A Dev Diary I regard as being very unlikely as the DLC assumedly is still being worked on, so at this moment still unfinished.
Furthermore, I don't expect all problems of the economic part of the game to be solved with the DLC/patch, which makes a Dev Diary about economy very unlikely too.
"Pantha Rei" - everything flows.

In short: any information we will get will be given when the advertisement campaign gets started, not earlier.
Until then, the best you can do is lean back and be patient. Call it "expectation management" if you so will.

Is that unsatisfactory?
Of course it is.

But we have more than 19 months of insight in their working and handling stuff (or lack thereof). On that I am basing my assumptions.
 
Last edited:
  • 4Like
  • 2
Reactions:
Civ5rako said:
Guys, once again: we do have all the information some are asking for.

We know that the game has yet to be finished.
We know that a new DLC is planned to be released this quarter.
We know that there are several severe bugs waiting for patching.

This means there are four major areas on which CO is expected to be currently working:
  1. Asset Editor: last information was it is in the works. No time estimates at all were given
  2. Consoles version: last information was it will NOT be released before summer. No estimates for a later release were given.
  3. DLC: this is due in this quarter which technically could mean the 30th of June. It is likely that regardless of the progress made it will be released at end of June as CO will be absent due to their summer vacation and the timespan between release and continuation of working in August shouldn't be too long.
  4. Patches: we know it is PDX/CO standard procedure to bundle them with DLC releases. So, there won't be a patch prior to the release of B&P.
As there are only five weeks left before B&P has to be released (in what state ever) we can safely assume that any information they would be willing to give about any other aspect of the game will be given with the advertising for the DLC which has yet to start.
It is similar with the patch infos as that one will be accompanying B&P.

As from a marketing perspective it would be wise to release the DLC/patch as late as possible within the given time window we can assume it will be released not prior to June 16th (unlikely in my eyes) or June 23rd (more likely).
The advertisement efforts are likely to start one week before that at the earliest, so either at the 9th of June (again, unlikely) or at the 16th. Then they all will show up again and tell us how much they missed us, how dear we (=our wallets) are to them and how excited they are to get our money share information with us.
After the release there will be a timespan of appr. one week in which they may answer questions if those are not too detailled. Then they will go radio silent again till the next patch which might be coming up in September at the earliest.

That's the schedule. Don't expect anything more.
Click to expand...

All perfectly comprehensive and cynically true.

The only thing I'm not sure about, if they release the DLC by June 30th, is the patch after this one.
They are bound to release the DLC by contract but then I think they will abandon the game, especially if the asset editor is not released when the DLC is released, which in my opinion would be the final stone.
 
  • 2Like
Reactions:
Lys91 said:
I do not think he is stating that it is good (or bad). His description of what to expect seems (depressingly) accurate. It aligns with what we have seen so far, and expecting little avoid (too much) disappointment.

I am personally expecting news that the studio is shutting down at some point in 2026. Given player numbers and the state of the game I don't see meaningful profit going forward.

I think it all come down to their loss of key staff members in the very early years of CS2 development. They never recovered and there is a lack of Know-How they cannot digg out of.

I love CS1, so I obviously hope I am wrong and we see a great comeback.
Click to expand...
Why 2026?
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Here's a stellar example of how to be honest with your players/purchasers about the state of a game, and from another Paradox-published game on these very forums, no less! CO: please emulate.

Dev Diary #171 - Post-Release Support

Hello everyone! I’m Jacob, the Community Manager with Paradox Studio Black. My role within the studio is to strengthen communication between us and you, the players, to ensure that we understand what you want from the game and that you...
forum.paradoxplaza.com forum.paradoxplaza.com
 
  • 2
  • 1Like
  • 1
Reactions:
1747768691262.png

1747768706682.png



I really don't think the CS2 numbers are so bad that it should be cancelled. I have faith that the game will take off.
 
  • 6Like
  • 1
  • 1
Reactions:
BoraBora said:
I can answer that. They're working on the asset editor (first announced for "soon after the release"), the console version (first announced for october 2023) and the Bridges & Ports DLC (first announced for Q2 2024). And fixing bugs, of course. I don't think they work on anything else as these have been their priorities since forever. Imagine if these weren't priorities... ;)
Click to expand...
Maybe they are using the chinese calendar....
 
Cardinal Herue said:
Here's a stellar example of how to be honest with your players/purchasers about the state of a game, and from another Paradox-published game on these very forums, no less! CO: please emulate.

Dev Diary #171 - Post-Release Support

Hello everyone! I’m Jacob, the Community Manager with Paradox Studio Black. My role within the studio is to strengthen communication between us and you, the players, to ensure that we understand what you want from the game and that you...
forum.paradoxplaza.com forum.paradoxplaza.com
Click to expand...
Thats amazing. We should have this friendly fellow here
 
  • 2Like
  • 1
Reactions:
gustavotoniato said:
View attachment 1302971
View attachment 1302973


I really don't think the CS2 numbers are so bad that it should be cancelled. I have faith that the game will take off.
Click to expand...
But you are comparing with cs1 and its still a flop. There are more playing 1 than 2 at this moment then. Maybe not cancelled. But this as so many more hints should make it clear to them that the base isn't satisfied at all.
 
  • 2Like
Reactions:
Arararamba said:
But you are comparing with cs1 and its still a flop. There are more playing 1 than 2 at this moment then. Maybe not cancelled. But this as so many more hints should make it clear to them that the base isn't satisfied at all.
Click to expand...
Oh, I'm fairly certain they know that.

Thing is, though, that the studio doesn't have other legs to stand on, financially. They make Cities Skylines and that's it. They can't ditch it and fall back on something else. And as the first game showed, there is a really profitable business to be found in selling DLCs. The way this game makes money is by selling a lot of DLC expansions, and for that, they have to get the game ready for it. They can't just abandon development and still exist as a studio that makes money. So I'm fairly sure they will work hard to fix what's wrong and get the DLC packs lined up for sale. Otherwise, they might as well shut down the studio here and now, instead of paying wages while things drag on toward no resolution at all.

And while they are struggling to make it over a steep and nasty hill, and have been for some time, well, there is a really great game to be found on the other side. CS2 has promise, that's why we're all here, and that's why we're all so upset. Had it been a simple and cynical cash grab of a game, everyone would have abandoned it like SimCity. But we can see the bones of something great here, which seems to be just out of reach. I really hope CO will manage to fix their woes, and preferably soon.
 
  • 5Like
  • 2
Reactions:
gustavotoniato said:
I really don't think the CS2 numbers are so bad that it should be cancelled. I have faith that the game will take off.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I have to disagree.

19 months past release ANY number lower than that of the predecessor is a slap in CO's face.
It is the very point of releasing a successor to replace the predecessor, something which CS2 so far has failed to do. Not even closely. Since the 25th of December 2023 there hasn't been a single day at which CS2 would have had more players than CS1.
In combination with the abysmal ratings this is awful, just awful.
 
  • 4
  • 1Like
Reactions:
gustavotoniato said:
I really don't think the CS2 numbers are so bad that it should be cancelled. I have faith that the game will take off.
Click to expand...
I looket it up yesterday at an earlier hour and CS II was around 5000 while CS 1 was around 8000. Anyway, whatever the hour of the day, there is always more players of a 11 years old game than its sequel released in 2023 and whose development began 7 years ago. That's not normal and that's reflected by the Steam ratings of these 30 last days:

92% of the 1229 reviewers were positive about CS1
54% of the 809 reviewers were positive about CS II

New reviews are mostly written by new players and these reviews published in the same month are also partly reflecting the sales. How can the 2015 game have 50% more reviews than the 2023 one in the last month? Lots of CS1 players are probably old players, having loved the game and not willing to switch, maybe hoping CSII will be fixed and complete one day, or having lost hope. But the reviews from last month are mostly from people discovering CS1 and... well, 9 out of 10 love it. Same for CSII: people discovering the game. Not haters or anything or they wouldn't have bought the game recently. Nonetheless half of them regret their money.

So sure, some people like CS II and play it. But is it enough to be a commercial success? It was in 2023 because of the love for CS1 and the fans, myself included, trusting CO and willing to wait a couple months for the game to be complete and fixed (the most trustful even paid in advance for 9 months of DLCs). But now, and considering all the development money PDX still has to spend to get CS II to a point where CS1 will feel vintage and won't be a competitor anymore, I don't think these numbers are "not so bad".
 
  • 3
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Codraroll said:
Thing is, though, that the studio doesn't have other legs to stand on, financially. They make Cities Skylines and that's it. (...)
They can't just abandon development and still exist as a studio that makes money. So I'm fairly sure they will work hard to fix what's wrong and get the DLC packs lined up for sale. Otherwise, they might as well shut down the studio here and now, instead of paying wages while things drag on toward no resolution at all.
Click to expand...
I am sorry, but I cannot share your optimism.
While you are right that CS2 is their only product, the one thing the whole company depends on, I don't have the impression that they are either working that hard (for that they are too much focused on their sacred holidays) or that they simply aren't capable of doing what needs to be done (when every major patch comes with a bunch of new bugs then the suspicion of lacking capability is quite near).
In addition to that I am pretty sure that they have been late with the December patch (released AFTER the free weekend!) and the "anniversary" patch (released one week AFTER the anniversary). Not to mention that patch in June last year, where "missing certifications" allowed them to have a Friday off.
That just doesn't look very good from the outside.

I do agree with you that under normal circumstances they should be struggling for survival. But I cannot see any sign of such a struggle.
Maybe they just have the greatest of all contracts ever with PDX, I don't know. But under normal conditions they are just one minor mistake away from being closed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back