Colossal Order is warning all Cities Skylines 2 players about their save games, as the upcoming ‘Economy 2.0’ patch will revamp the game from the ground up. With a “death wave” set to accompany a slate of shakeups in the update, your metropolis is going through a dangerous, but thankfully brief, apocalypse.
The Cities Skylines 2 economy is fickle at the best of times, but Colossal Order’s 2.0 overhaul aims to change that sometime this week. The improvements are so drastic, however, that all your old saves are at risk, so CO wants to make sure we’re all prepared.
“Saves from before the economy rework will still work but may require a transition period,” Colossal Order says of the city building game. “This rework is extensive, and it will affect how the simulation runs and impact the saves you have been building on when the patch goes live on Patch Day. Read below on what takes time to take effect.”
There’s no guarantee for mods either, and Colossal Order recommends checking with individual modders for instructions as anything affecting the simulation will likely be broken.
The Economy 2.0 patch removes government subsidies and increases city service upkeep costs, with the Import City Services policy a requirement for any metropolis relying on external services and imports. Tiles also have an upkeep cost that can have a big impact on your overall budget.
Many of the new changes will take time to truly take effect, so Colossal Order also outlines what to expect from your city in that time. A “death wave” will hit your city for one to two months, and “the older your citizens are, the more severe it will be.” CO wants to vary the age at which citizens can die to avoid future death waves, but says “This can only happen once the Grim Reaper has finished with the city” – that sounds totally fine and normal.
A negative money trend will hit your city at first too, so up the tax rate, turn off buildings, or reduce service budgets if you’re struggling. Unemployment rates will go up as businesses adjust production rates and staff numbers as well.
Citizen demand adjustments may also shift incredibly fast, so CO warns that bars before and after the patch could be very different. “Companies need time to adjust production and employee numbers, potentially increasing unemployment.”
There is a shred of good news though, as Cities Skylines 2 is fixing its rent problems by getting rid of landlords. This “should help citizens afford preferred housing, reducing ‘High Rent’ notifications over time.” Your city will plunge into chaos with the Economy 2.0 patch, but at least it’s temporary.
We have complete breakdowns of Cities Skylines 2 roads and Cities Skylines 2 maps as well, for when you need assistance with more than just CS2’s volatile economy.
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