Cities: Skylines (2015): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Gamicality score 87 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 4.5

Runs today5 / 5
Design today3.5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

275,770 reviews93% positive
Steam store page

Released: 2015
Developer: Colossal Order
Genre: Simulation, Strategy
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Cities: Skylines run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	Expected to work. It is sold for Windows today and no problem is on record. SourceNo player reports yet
Mac (Apple Silicon)	Steam sells a Mac version. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon. SourceNo player reports yet
Linux	Yes, there is a native Linux version. SourceNo player reports yet
Steam Deck	Playable, as rated by Valve: it works, but may need some manual configuration. SourceNo player reports yet

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Synopsis

A city-building simulation in which you start with a patch of land beside a highway and grow it into a metropolis. You lay out roads, zone neighborhoods, run water, power and public services, set policies by district and keep traffic moving as the population climbs.

What people say

Critics welcomed it in 2015 as the city builder fans had wanted, praising its depth, scale and modding tools, though a few found it competent rather than distinctive. A decade later many players and some critics still rank it above its own sequel, largely thanks to a vast library of Steam Workshop mods and years of expansions. The most common complaints are traffic behavior that can feel baffling and the lack of a proper introduction for newcomers, who often go broke on their first maps.

Playability today

Playability runs from 1 to 5. It is the average of two parts. Each part starts at 1 and climbs to 5 as more of its checks pass. Read the method.

Runs today: 5 / 5

✓Sold today from an official store
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
–Single-player works without an internet connection
–All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
–Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
–Full controller support or remappable controls
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
–No known game-breaking bugs in the current version

Filled in from the Steam store and Valve’s Steam Deck rating. Checks marked – are unknown and do not count until someone checks them.

Design today: 3.5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboardMouse and keyboard controls for drawing roads and zoning feel natural and are what the game was built around. Source: opencritic.com.
✗Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screensInterface text turns blurry above 1080p and the game has no built-in UI scaling, so high-resolution screens need a mod. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progressYou can save whenever you like and autosave can be turned on, so little is lost. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✗It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progressThere is no introductory tutorial, only hint pop-ups, and new players often turn to videos and wikis after their first cities go broke. Source: steamcommunity.com.
✓Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtrackingPopulation milestones unlock new tools steadily, and as a sandbox it has no filler or forced backtracking. Source: destructoid.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the playerThe free-moving camera zooms smoothly from street level to the whole map, and complaints about it are rare. Source: destructoid.com.

Judged against games made today, from complaints that recur in recent Steam reviews and discussions, forums, PCGamingWiki and community wikis. Each reason links to where it comes from.