Cities: Skylines is set to make a long-awaited comeback after eight years, offering a fresh city-building simulation experience for both PC and console players. In partnership with Microsoft, Paradox Interactive intends to broaden its audience within the simulator games industry.
Despite initial controversies surrounding the game's release, devoted fans of the franchise eagerly anticipate learning whether Cities: Skylines 2 will be accessible through Game Pass. This guide aims to deliver comprehensive information on the game's availability within Microsoft's gaming subscription, as well as address frequently asked questions concerning its free launch.
Cities: Skylines 2 Game Pass Availability
Included in the October lineup, PC Game Pass subscribers can now enjoy Cities: Skylines 2. Starting from October 24th, players can easily download the game on Windows 10. It is important to note that the Game Pass version does not come with any additional perks or expansions. To access all the DLCs, players will need to purchase the Ultimate Edition separately.
For PC gamers, Cities: Skylines 2 is the only exclusive title available on Game Pass for October. Other freebies for the month mostly consist of cross-platform games, such as Jusant, F1 Manager 2023, Dead Space, and Mineko's Night Market.
Cities: Skylines 2 File Size on Game Pass
Cities: Skylines 2 on PC Game Pass comes with a massive file size of 56.67 GB. To provide a comparison, the previous installment of the franchise, Cities: Skylines, required only 4 GB of disk space on the PC.
It's important to mention that fans are voicing their dissatisfaction with the game's size, as it presents difficulties for running it on lower-end systems. Adding to the controversy surrounding the specifications, the developers even raised the minimum PC requirements prior to its launch.
Will Cities: Skylines 2 Come to Xbox Game Pass?
Due to unforeseen performance issues, the release of Cities: Skylines 2 on console versions is postponed until Spring 2024. As a result, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have to wait an additional five to six months after the initial launch to access the game. Paradox Interactive, the developer, recently revealed that this delay was not part of the original release plan.
Cities: Skylines 2 is available now on PC. (The Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 versions will be launched later in the spring of 2024.)