Cities: Skylines 2 Developer Confronts Community Tension

The CEO of Cities: Skylines 2 developer Colossal Order recently posted an update addressing rising negativity and harassment among the game’s community.

Key Highlights:

• Cities: Skylines 2 released in October 2023 to a disappointed reception lacking features.
• Players grew frustrated waiting for promised tools like the Editor UI.
• Some directed toxicity toward developers and fellow community members.
• The CEO posted urging constructive criticism and empathy.
• Harassment could discourage developer interaction and modding.
• Upcoming months will prioritise finishing mod support and patches.
• Players were asked to suggest improving communication and moderation.

Rebuilding Trust After a Rocky Launch

When Cities: Skylines 2 arrived in late 2023, fans felt it failed to meet the deep complexity and customisation of the earlier title. Key omissions like mod support tools especially upset players eager to build expansive custom cities.

As developer Colossal Order worked to deliver missing features post-launch, some vocal community members grew impatient and toxic. Devs and fellow players faced aggressive harassment online.

In a recent statement on the Paradox Plaza Forums, CEO Mariina Hallikainen confronted this trend before it damaged morale and engagement further. She focused on constructive solutions like moderation.

Preserving Healthy Community Values

Hallikainen explained toxicity could have far-reaching negative consequences if left unchecked. Developers may hesitate to interact openly with a hostile community.

Meanwhile, harassment poisons the social environment and stifles players’ creativity. If cities cease becoming welcoming spaces to share ideas, the franchise’s spirit fades away.

Emphasising empathy and specific constructive criticism is crucial to preserving collaborative values. Players were asked to provide examples of how communication can improve without toxicity.

Ambitious Updates on the Horizon

Alongside confronting negativity, Hallikainen provided updates on upcoming plans. Finishing mod support remains the top priority, with the Editor UI beta expected within weeks.

Console ports are also being prepared with a focus on stability and performance. More fixes will arrive in a patch before the Editor tool.

Forthright communication about priorities helps set expectations realistically to avoid further frustration. Transparency coupled with a friendlier social climate will prove essential to getting Cities: Skylines 2 back on track.

A Franchise Built on Openness

At its best, the strategy title fostered a welcoming space for players to build and share wildly creative cities through deep simulation and extensive customisation tools.

Toxicity erodes the franchise’s communal foundations. By urging understanding from her players first, Hallikainen aims to repair relations from within rather than through heavy-handed moderation alone.

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If the community can re-embrace constructive ideals, it may emerge stronger and closer thanks to weathering this turbulent period. Then developers and fans can focus on the boundless potential still awaiting to be built together.