Cities: Skylines free update adds theme editor, weather effects, and hats

The
Cities: Skylines Snowfall expansion will be out in just over a week, adding, as the name obliquely hints, snow-themed maps, heating infrastructure, snowplows, and other such bits of winter misery that seem like fun until you actually have to dig out your car at 6:30 in the freakin’ morning in the middle of freakin’ February just so you can get to freakin’ work. 

Anyway, even if you don’t feel like forking over the $13 the expansion will cost, you’ll still be able to take advantage of a number of new features that will be released on the same day as part of a free update. It will include the following:

• Rain and fog-based cosmetic weather for existing maps outside the new “Winter” themed maps
• A new Theme Editor for map modding, allowing players to create new Map Themes ranging from different terrain styles to incredible alien worlds; here is one such incredible alien world An expanded UI for public transportation management
• New Chirps from everyone’s favorite in-game social media avatar
• New Hats for everyone’s favorite in-game social media avatar
• Newfound respect for everyone’s favorite in-game social media avatar

Paradox held a livestream showcasing the new features in the expansion earlier today, which unfortunately is now over. However, you can still enjoy it thanks to the magic of video on demand, and the embed codes that allow me to paste it below for your viewing edification. The Cities: Skylines Snowfall expansion, and the free update, will both be out on February 18.