Cities: Skylines II is still coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, but the long-delayed console edition does not yet have a confirmed release date.
The city-building sequel launched on PC in October 2023, while its Xbox and PS5 versions were postponed to allow for more performance and stability work. The project has not been cancelled, though: publisher Paradox Interactive continues to list an Xbox version and says its team is still working towards a console release.
For Xbox fans, the position is straightforward. Cities: Skylines II is planned for current-generation Xbox consoles, but it cannot be played on them yet.
“Our goal remains unchanged: to bring Cities: Skylines II to console in the best possible shape.” — Paradox Interactive’s official console update
Cities: Skylines II Xbox release date: what is the latest?
There is no exact release date for Cities: Skylines II on Xbox Series X|S.
In its latest official console update, Paradox said it had made steady progress but still needed to address issues before the game reached the desired standard for players. The publisher confirmed that it would not launch before summer, while avoiding another specific estimate until the project was closer to being ready.
This means Xbox players should be cautious with any retailer listings that show a date. Stores frequently use placeholder dates to allow pre-orders, but those dates are not an official launch announcement.
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Is Cities: Skylines II on Xbox? | Not yet |
| Which consoles? | Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S |
| Xbox One version? | No |
| Confirmed release date? | No |
| Has the Xbox version been cancelled? | No |
| Who is developing the console edition? | Iceflake Studios, under Paradox Interactive |
| Is it confirmed for console Game Pass? | No current confirmation for the Xbox console version |
Paradox still lets players wishlist Cities: Skylines II for Xbox Series X|S, which is a useful sign that the version remains in active plans.
Why has Cities: Skylines II been delayed on Xbox?
Cities: Skylines II is a demanding city simulator. Rather than simply placing buildings, players manage interlinked systems such as traffic, housing, business activity, utilities, services, pollution, weather and the wider economy.
The game also gives individual citizens their own lives, households, occupations, relationships and wellbeing. According to the official game overview, player decisions can affect each citizen’s life path as well as the development of the city as a whole.
That is a huge part of the game’s appeal, but it also makes optimisation more difficult. A city-builder needs to handle increasingly complex simulations as populations, infrastructure and traffic networks expand. Paradox’s public explanation has focused on delivering better performance and stability rather than shipping a console version before it is ready.
Iceflake Studios takes over development
The future of Cities: Skylines II changed in November 2025, when Paradox Interactive and original developer Colossal Order announced they would pursue separate paths after more than a decade of working together.
Paradox confirmed that Iceflake Studios, one of its internal management-game studios, would assume responsibility for Cities: Skylines II from the start of 2026. That includes free updates, future expansions, content packs, editor development and the delayed console editions.
The publisher’s official transition announcement specifically states that Iceflake will continue work on the console versions. That matters because it gives Xbox players confirmation that the project survived the developer change.
What will Cities: Skylines II offer on Xbox?
When it arrives, Cities: Skylines II should give Xbox players a more ambitious simulation than the original game.
Players can build from a small settlement to a major city, choosing maps and biomes before laying roads, zoning neighbourhoods, creating public transport, managing power and water, and responding to changing citizen needs.
The sequel’s main features include:
- A deeper economy and AI simulation, where decisions have wider consequences.
- Bigger maps and more room to create dense cities or huge urban sprawl.
- Individual citizen simulation, with households, jobs and changing needs.
- Seasonal weather, pollution and environmental challenges.
- More detailed planning tools for roads, districts, infrastructure and services.
Paradox’s 2023 gameplay reveal described the sequel as a game where economic systems and citizen lives make each planning decision more meaningful. That remains the central pitch for the Xbox release too.
Will Cities: Skylines II be on Xbox Game Pass?
Cities: Skylines II was announced for PC Game Pass, but Xbox players should not assume that means the console version will automatically arrive through Game Pass when it launches.
At present, Paradox’s console page confirms Xbox Series X|S support and wishlisting, but it does not confirm Xbox console Game Pass availability, a release price or a launch-day subscription deal.
Until Paradox or Xbox makes a fresh announcement, the safest answer is that Cities: Skylines II remains planned for Xbox Series X|S, while its exact release date and Game Pass status are unconfirmed.
Will Cities: Skylines II release on Xbox One?
No. Cities: Skylines II is planned for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S only.
The original Cities: Skylines was released on Xbox One and remains a good alternative for people who want a city-building game now. It has an established console version, controller support and a large catalogue of expansions. The sequel is aiming for a much more detailed simulation, however, which is why it has been positioned as a current-generation-only release.
Cities: Skylines II Xbox FAQ
Can you play Cities: Skylines II on Xbox now?
No. The Xbox Series X|S version has not launched.
Has Cities: Skylines II on Xbox been cancelled?
No. Paradox says development is continuing, with Iceflake Studios responsible for the console edition.
Does Cities: Skylines II have an Xbox release date?
No. There is currently no confirmed launch date.
What Xbox consoles will run Cities: Skylines II?
Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. There is no Xbox One version planned.
Why is Cities: Skylines II taking so long to release on console?
Paradox says the team is still improving performance and stability to reach the quality standard it wants for the console edition.
Should players trust retailer release dates?
Not unless Paradox or Xbox confirms them. Retailer dates can be placeholders rather than genuine launch information.
Cities: Skylines II remains one of the biggest missing releases for Xbox city-builder fans. The wait has been unusually long, but the latest official information makes clear that the game is still coming, development is continuing under Iceflake Studios, and Paradox is prioritising a more stable version over a rushed launch.
