Beach Properties refund comes true

[gosammy1971]

CO/PDX have announced to move Beach properties to base game and refund

Dear Cities fans,
We see and understand the disappointment many of you have expressed after the release of Cities: Skylines II and the recent release of Beach Properties. We asked for your patience and support, and you’ve shown those.

We have an update from the Cities: Skylines team on the way forward, as well as the many meaningful changes we want to make in how we approach the game’s development and communicate with you.

Read the complete statement here: https://pdxint.at/49xNHSk

To start with, we’re refunding/compensating for Beach Properties to those who bought the pack, and we've addressed the most pressing questions surrounding this process in a FAQ - https://pdxint.at/4axnSDm

We also apologize for the lack of transparency in communicating a release window for our Console Community. The complete statement addresses where we currently stand with a Console build & the FAQ addresses more questions from our Console Players.

[gosammy1971]

For everyone who not wants to visit PDX website:

Dear Cities fans,

We see and understand the disappointment many of you have expressed after the release of Cities: Skylines II and the recent release of Beach Properties. We asked for your patience and support, and you’ve shown those. In return, we let you down. We thought we could make up for the shortcomings of the game in a timeframe that was unrealistic, and rushed out a DLC that should not have been published in its current form. For all this, we are truly sorry. When we’ve made statements like this one before, it’s included a pledge to keep making improvements, and while we are working on these updates, they haven’t happened at a speed or magnitude that is acceptable, and it pains us that we've now lost the trust of many of you. We want to do better.

The very first thing we’re doing is to compensate those who purchased Beach Properties. We will change the pack to be a free addition to the game, refund it to the extent possible, and provide additional content within the Ultimate Edition. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to offer refunds for Ultimate Edition buyers. This is due to the distribution of the Ultimate Edition across digital and physical storefronts, which create significant complexities for executing a partial refund. We realize that this is far from ideal, especially given the dedication those who have stayed with us since launch have shown. We are committed to repaying that loyalty, and therefore, we will compensate Ultimate Edition holders by adding 3 Creator Packs and 3 Radio Stations which, together, sum up to a value of USD 39.99. This solution hopefully ensures that you, regardless of purchase method, feel you receive fair compensation.

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. 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. We will focus on additional free patches and game updates in the coming months before Colossal Order spends time on new paid content, resulting in a move of the Bridges and Ports Expansion to 2025. In addition, the aforementioned Creator Packs are being produced independently, and will not take any focus away from the work on improving the game. To make sure we focus on the right things, we’re putting together an advisory meeting, where a small group of player representatives, together with Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive, will discuss the development plan for this year. The people in this group are chosen for the size of their following within the community to represent as many people as possible. 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 and bring this game into a bright future.

We also want to address the pending Console release. As you know, our plan was to release in Spring of this year. We have been hesitant to communicate an actual release window because of the uncertainty we are facing, and to not make further promises we might not be able to keep. We have been struggling to get Cities: Skylines II to the necessary level of optimization for a console release, but are now hopeful that an upcoming build delivery in April will demonstrate sufficient progress for us to progress with a release candidate, and then a release build targeted for October. Before we have seen and evaluated the progress made in these builds however, we will not be able to confirm the release date, and even then, some uncertainty always remains. Our ambition is to deliver the experience that you all deserved at launch, but it will take time. It’s important to note that the team working on the console release operates separately from our PC development team, so it will be progressing without splitting our focus or time.

In closing, we want to reaffirm our dedication to making Cities: Skylines II the best city builder it can be. We appreciate your support and feedback, and hope we can regain your trust going forward. It’s our responsibility to earn it, and we hope these actions are a first step in the right direction.
We are deeply grateful for your continued passion for our game. Please stay tuned for further updates on the game and the refund process, and thank you for being a part of our community.

Sincerely,
Mariina Hallikainen
CEO, Colossal Order

Mattias Lilja
Deputy CEO, Paradox Interactive

[gosammy1971]

And the refund thread:

Welcome to the FAQ that has been posted alongside the message from Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen and Paradox Interactive Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja. The questions have been sorted into categories to make it easier to read.

If you haven't read the written statement, here's a link.​

Refund​
_________________​

Why is Beach Properties being refunded?
We see and understand the disappointment many have expressed after the release of Beach Properties and agree that this DLC felt rushed and should not have been published in the state that it was.

We have therefore decided to make the asset pack a free addition to the game, compensate those who bought it to the extent possible (see the rest of the FAQ for further information on this) and provide additional content within the Ultimate Edition in an effort to repay the loyalty we've seen in the community since the release of Cities: Skylines II.

How will I be compensated?
Depending on how and where you bought the Beach Properties pack, we have different possibilities to compensate you for that purchase.
Please read through the different conditions on each platform below and the special conditions for Ultimate Edition / Premium Edition (physical).

Will Beach Properties be available for free?
We have made the decision that, along with the refund/compensation, we will include everything that was in the Beach Properties Asset Pack in the base game. If you did not purchase the Asset Pack while it was available, then you will receive the content in the next patch in about two weeks.

I own it already, will I still be able to access Beach Properties?
For those who have already bought Beach Properties, none of your current content will be removed while this change is being made, and you will be able to keep using all of the included assets.

What will happen to my save that already uses Beach Properties content?
Assets are only losing the entitlement (that they are locked behind the DLC) and are instead being added to the base game, so your saves should be unaffected.

What are the patches and what will they contain?
With regards to patches, one of the main concerns that we've heard from community has been what these patches prioritize, and how that relates to and impacts the additions of new content. We still have a long way to go before we are at the place where we want to be for Cities: Skylines II, and we will continue to work on a series of continuous patches that include the feedback we have recieved from the community. These patches will happen before Colossal Order focuses on additional paid content.

When will asset mods be supported?
We are currently addressing technical issues with the asset import pipeline that must be resolved for the asset editor to function. We have dedicated resources that work on this, however, it is difficult to provide a precise timeline at this stage. We are working very hard to have it out in a patch before summer.

Beach Properties, Beach Properties Bundle, Expansion Pass​
_________________​

How am I going to recieve my refund?
Details on how your refund will be provided or claimed depends on what platform you bought it on:

Steam
If you purchased Beach Properties separately or through a Steam Bundle (Expansion Pass Bundle or Beach Properties Bundle) you will automatically be refunded the amount equivalent to the cost of Beach Properties directly to your Steam Wallet.
Microsoft
If you purchased Beach Properties separately or through a Bundle (Expansion Pass Bundle or Beach Properties Bundle) you will be refunded the amount equivalent to the cost of Beach Properties. We will shortly share the details on how the refunds will be made.
Paradox Store
If you bought Beach Properties, the Beach Properties bundle, or the Expansion pass through the Paradox Store, you will automatically be refunded. If you purchased the Expansion Pass, you will keep your access to the Instant Unlock and Deluxe Relax station but will need to make a new purchase for any upcoming content.
Key Reseller
If you bought Beach Properties or the Beach Properties Bundle through an approved 3rd party key seller you will be entitled to a refund. Please reach out to your retailer for information on how to do this, since it may vary between sellers.
Physical (Premium Edition)
For this, the same conditions as Ultimate Edition apply. Beach Properties has not been sold separately as a physical box, but is included in the Premium Edition. For those of you who have redeemed your codes, you will automatically get the additional content upon its release.


When can I expect the refund?
As the refund process is done manually in many cases, it may take a while before your refund gets processed. If you have not received it within a month, please get in touch with the retailer you purchased it from. If you purchased it from the Paradox Store contact us at Paradox customer support: https://support.paradoxplaza.com/hc/

Ultimate Edition (& Premium Edition)​
_________________​

I have bought the Ultimate Edition, why do I not get a refund but compensation?
Distribution of the included Expansion Pass across digital and physical storefronts creates complexities that makes it impossible to execute refunds. We realize that this is far from ideal, especially given the dedication shown by those of you who have stayed with us since launch. We are committed to repaying that loyalty, and therefore we will compensate you by adding three (3) new Creator Packs and three (3) new Radio Stations to the Ultimate Edition, which will total around 39.99 USD in added value. This solution hopefully ensures that you, as an Ultimate Edition purchaser, feel you receive fair compensation.

What is the new content added to the Ultimate Edition?
The new content that we're adding to the Ultimate Edition will be three (3) new Creator Packs and three (3) new Radio Stations, which will add up to around 39.99 USD in added value.

What is the difference between Ultimate and Premium edition?
The Premium Edition is the physical box version of the Ultimate Edition.

Console​
_________________​

When will Console be released?
We have been struggling to get Cities: Skylines II to the necessary level of optimization that we feel we need for the console release. We've engaged multiple consultants and made other continuous efforts over the past few months to enhance performance and stability to a level where we would be able to release it. In April, we will recieve a Beta Build that we hope shows sufficient progress and passes initial testing. After that has passed, we progress with a Release Candidate build, which in turn will be tested multiple times.

If both the Beta and then the Release Candidate pass these tests and no unforseen issuses arise, we should be able to release in October. Before we have seen and evaluated the progress made in these builds, however, we will not be able to confirm the release date, and even then some uncertainty always remains.

Why has the Console date not been shared earlier?
Due to uncertainty regarding the game's quality on console platforms, and to avoid giving promises that we are not completely sure we can keep, we have been hesitant in communicating any specific timelines relating to consoles. The process and development on console have taken us months longer than we anticipated, and the timeline still has some unknown factors remaining. Our priority has been to ensure that we can confidently give a reliable release date, which we still can not. We hope that sharing where we are in development in future posts will give you some idea of what to expect for the console release.

Is the work on Console delaying content updates on PC or vise versa?
The team working on the console release and development operate separately from our PC development team, allowing both teams to progress without splitting either team's focus and time. While the optimization work on the PC build affects the console build, any improvements benefit both versions.

Timeline​
_________________​

Is there an updated timeline for Bridges & Ports?
Yes: we will focus on additional free patches and game updates in the coming months before Colossal Order spends time on new paid content, resulting in a move of the Bridges and Ports Expansion to Q1 2025.

What content is being cancelled or pushed?
Beach Properties will be added into the game as free content instead of a DLC; Bridges & Ports will be moved to Q1 2025. No content is currently being cancelled.

When will I get the additional Creator Packs?
The additional Creator Packs are planned for Q4 2024.

Won't adding more Creator Packs delay the patches that are planned?
Creator Packs are made in collaboration between creators and Paradox Interactive. The creator does most of the heavy lifting: they model, texture, and prop the buildings with support from Paradox Interactive, and Colossal Order finally assists by importing the assets into the game. This means that the Creator Packs require only implementation work by the Colossal Order team, and should not affect other content they develop for Cities: Skylines II.

Will there be a delay on the Creator packs scheduled for Q2?
Currently there is no planned delay for the Creator Packs Urban Promenades and Modern Architecture scheduled for Q2. As they are being produced independently, and only require implementation from Colossal Order, they do not take focus away from the work on improving the game, and have minimal impact on the timeline.

[gameblogger]

Now to hold them to that.

[Foulcher]

At least they react even if it’s very late and it does not solve the broken game

[Tau]

But with this news I hope they are on the right way.

[crestacuervo]

what is a creator pack????

[Foulcher]

Originally posted by Tau:

But with this news I hope they are on the right way.

CA/Sega did the same thing then after some weeks they released the same old overpriced DLCs and of course the blood one

[Blackadar]

It's a step in the right direction. I'll take it while looking for a 2nd and 3rd step in that same direction.

Still, some part of me will miss seeing a 4% thumbs up on a product. There's something heartwarming about seeing 96% of gamers agree on something.

[buda atum]

Finally, an admission and apology and a fix!

Must be Mattias Lilja, as this don't sound like Ms "game is not for toxic you".

[colart1]

Well this communication seems extremely encouraging. It is well written and hits many of the notes of acknowledgement, apology and plan to do better that some felt were missing from earlier statements.

It seems reasonable to be more optimistic that CO and Paradox are actually trying to save the game and the franchise and “make it right”.

[Foulcher]

Originally posted by colart1:

Well this communication seems extremely encouraging. It is well written and hits many of the notes of acknowledgement, apology and plan to do better that some felt were missing from earlier statements.

It seems reasonable to be more optimistic that CO and Paradox are actually trying to save the game and the franchise and “make it right”.

Can be either
See Creative Assembly with Pharaoh, their mea culpa lasted some weeks and that’s all

But this game is indeed more important I think because if it sells well the will be able to sell a lot of DLCs like with the first

It’s their interest in a way, us too but our lives continues if their game flop

[Wenatchee Willie]

Very appreciated. What is a Creator Pack btw?

[Foulcher]

Originally posted by Wenatchee Willie:

Very appreciated. What is a Creator Pack btw?

Some thematic assets provided from a modder but as a paid DLC if I remember well
I think the modder takes a percentage

I may be wrong

[Cosmic Sea]

Definitely a step in the right direction and I'm happy to hear this. Now if they would directly address the simulation speed issues at moderate populations.

And the asset editor would make a huge difference. The biggest issue with the game is the severe lack or content (props, networks, and buildings)

[Cosmic Sea]

Originally posted by Wenatchee Willie:

Very appreciated. What is a Creator Pack btw?

Pretty much what it sounds like. An asset pack made by someone from the community