Natural Disasters are coming to Cities: Skylines

For me, one of the most enjoyable things about classic city-builder Simcity 2000 was raising a bustling town from scratch and then razing it to the ground by way of self-imposed natural disasters—a feature sorely missed from modern day genre champion Cities: Skylines. According to publisher Paradox Interactive, the latter is “the feature fans have been asking for since launch,” which is probably why the game’s latest expansion adds exactly that.

Cities: Skylines Natural Disasters is due this winter, featuring a “catalog of catastrophes to challenge mayor-players everywhere." This includes combating fires, earthquakes, and meteor strikes, among other doomsday scenarios, in order to keep your populace alive. Look, see:

“Buildings and infrastructure will be destroyed, fire can spread across locations, and countless lives may be lost unless players implement the right emergency plans and responses and keep an ear on the new radio alert system,” reads a statement from Paradox and developer Colossal Order. “Fans of Cities: Skylines will have the chance to overcome everything from massive fires to meteor strikes, and allow their friends to do the same with a new Scenario Mode, where custom challenges can be designed and shared through Steam Workshop.”

Besides Scenario Mode, Natural Disasters brings with it a new broadcast network which lets players spread emergency alerts and evacuation warnings, not to mention kick back and enjoy a host of new in-game music stations.

All told, the overarching idea of the incoming add-on is to plan, respond to, and counter the burgeoning devastation that relentlessly unfolds around you. But there’s also scope to instigate the end of the world by your own hand—you know, on the off-chance you’re as twisted as me.

Cities: Skylines Natural Disasters is without a concrete launch date, but is due at some point this winter.