Paradox apologizes for latest Cities: Skylines 2 boondoggle, will give refunds for the Beach Properties DLC: '[We] hope we can regain your trust going forward'
The first post-launch DLC for Cities: Skylines 2, Beach Properties, arrived in March, and it did not go well. Players already irritated by the state of the game felt the DLC—an asset pack, with no new features—wasn't worth its $10/£8.49 price, and predictably a new wave of negative reviews flowed into Steam. The Beach Properties DLC itself is rated as «overwhelmingly negative,» with just 4% positive user reviews on Steam.
Three weeks after its release, Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen and Paradox deputy CEO Mattias Lilja have released a joint statement apologizing for, well, pretty much everything really, and promising a do-over on the Beach Properties DLC by giving a refund to most players who bought it and making it free for all players. Those who got the DLC as part of the Cities: Skylines 2 Ultimate Edition will not be given a refund because of the «significant complexities» involved in issuing a partial refund; instead, they'll be given three Creator Packs and three radio stations with a collective value of $40 that are expected to be ready near the end of 2024.
«Looking ahead, we also want to make immediate and meaningful changes in the way we approach the game’s development and our communication with you,» Hallikainen and Lilja said. «Firstly, this means a complete focus on improving the base game and modding tools, and secondly, we want to better involve you, the community, as we choose our priorities going forward.»
To that end, Paradox and Colossal Order will have an «advisory meeting» with a small group of player representatives, «chosen for the size of their following within the community to represent as many people as possible,» to discuss the plan for the remainder of 2024. «The teams from Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive will provide them with full transparency and answer any questions and critiques voiced. Our hope is that together with you, our community, we can make sure that we do not repeat the same mistakes we have made in the past
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