Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order’s Cities: Skylines 2 features a world map that is five times the size of the one seen in the original.
In the latest developer diary update on Cities: Skylines 2 at Pradox Forum, developer Colossal Order revealed that the size of one map tile in the game is roughly one-third of a map tile in its predecessor. However, you are able to unlock almost all tiles, giving you a total of 441 map tiles. This results in a playable area of 159 square kilometers in Cities: Skylines 2, which is roughly five times the size of the world map featured in the original Cities: Skylines.
Additionally, the developer stated that the map tiles do not have to be connected to each other, so, technically, players can create small isolated pocket towns, and they can purchase map tiles all the way to the edge of the map where it’s possible to create new Outside Connections. Furthermore, the map height limit is much higher than before, adding a lot more flexibility and freedom in how your dream city will look.
The developer explained that each map in Cities: Skylines 2 introduces different challenges through various landscapes. To begin a new city players will need to choose a map from the New Game panel. When a map is selected, they will see its most important details, such as its default theme, climate information, latitude (which tells you about the hemisphere the map is located in as well as how the seasons work), buildable area available, the familiar natural resources, and which outside connections are already present.
Regarding themes, the developer mentioned that they controlled the natural environment of a map in the original Cities: Skylines, with predefined settings for each theme. In Cities: Skylines II, things get more intricate, as the themes control individual elements like the style of roads and buildings. According to the developer, the options of European and North American themes can be selected when you start a new map.
