The sweeping update promising to streamline and rebalance Cities: Skylines 2’s rental markets, production chains, and civic finances was expected to deploy today after weeks of elaborate developer diaries meticulously outlining its impending changes. However, a last-minute delay was announced via social media.
“We really wanted to have the Economy Patch out today, but unfortunately, we cannot make that happen tonight,” Colossal Order stated. “We know that you’re excited to try the new patch and we will have more information out as soon as we have it tomorrow!”
While no new launch timing was provided, the postponement keeps the city-building simulator’s problematic economic model intact for the time being. The current version features what many players describe as an opaque, unbalanced design marred by issues like excessive high rents forcing citizens to cut spending on necessities like home maintenance.
Economy 2.0 aimed to remedy these pain points through an overhaul that both simplifies certain systems, like removing the convoluted determinants of rental pricing, while adding new layers of challenge and realism elsewhere. Most significantly, cities will no longer receive government subsidies, forcing more judicious fiscal management without a financial safety net.
“With the new update, it’ll be simplified and should avoid the majority of rental issues players currently experience,” described one preview from GameSkinny. “On the other side, we have changes which promise to make the game more challenging, even while increasing the economy’s transparency.”
However, such an economic metamorphosis will not come without short-term growing pains. Colossal Order previously warned that reworking foundations like production methods and pricing models will initially trigger a “death wave” and periods of mass unemployment, relocation, and potential financial ruin as in-game populations and industries adapt to the new rules.
“There will be an unavoidable wave of deaths lasting 1-2 months, along with potential rise in unemployment, mass relocations, and financial issues,” the developer stated regarding how existing save files will convulse before stabilizing under Economy 2.0’s paradigms.
While no new release timing for the overdue economic overhaul was provided, patient Cities: Skylines 2 players hang on to see if the looming transition pains will be worth the long-promised economic revamp.
