- Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
- Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
- Now, you can double-click on the game exe file to launch it.
You can also do the same steps for the Cities Skylines 2 game executable file to ensure the application has UAC access.
2. Update Graphics Drivers
Make sure to update your graphics driver on the PC because an outdated GPU driver may trigger multiple issues with the game launching. You should try checking and installing the graphics driver update (if available). To do that:
- Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
- Click on Device Manager from the list to open the interface.
- Now, you’ll need to double-click on Display adapters to expand it.
- Then, right-click on the dedicated graphics card that’s active.
- Next, click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- The system will automatically check for the available updates.
- An update will automatically download and install the latest version if available.
- Once done, make sure to restart your PC to apply the changes.
If you can’t find an update, you can go to the official graphics card website and manually search for it. If a new version is available, download the file on your PC and install it. The official manufacturer’s website link is below.
3. End Background Processes
Make sure to end the background process on your system because unnecessary tasks can easily trouble the resource-hungry applications to run properly. If in case, your system becomes laggy or slow, the system resources are getting low at that moment. To remove unwanted processes:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut keys on the keyboard to open Task Manager.
- Click on the Processes tab > Select the task you want to close individually.
- Then click on End Task to close it.
- As mentioned, do the same steps for each task you want to close.
- Once done, close the Task Manager window, and restart your PC.
4. Disable Steam Overlay
Multiple affected players have started reporting that Steam overlay is running in the background, which is troubling. In-Game overlay apps may consume higher system resources which can easily trigger issues with the game launching.
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
- Now, right-click on Cities Skylines 2 > Select Properties.
- Head over to the General section > Here just uncheck the Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game checkbox.
- Go back to Library > Launch Cities Skylines 2 to check if the game is still not launching.
A couple of players did find this trick useful to simply disable the Steam Input option by following the steps below. It somehow fixes the game not launching or stuck at the loading screen issue. To do that:
- Launch the Steam client > Go to Library.
- Right-click on Cities Skylines 2 > Click on Controller.
- Set ‘OVERRIDE FOR Cities Skylines 2’ to ‘Disable Steam Input’.
- Finally, you should try launching the game again to check for the issue.
6. Run the game in Windowed Mode
If in case, the game seems to crash a lot then you can try setting up the Display Mode to Windowed from Full Screen. To do that:
- Click on the Windows icon to open the Start Menu > Type %LOCALAPPDATA% on the search bar and open it.
- Go to the %LOCALAPPDATA% folder > Search for the ‘Prospect’ folder.
- Open the mentioned folder and go to the Saved > Config > WindowsNoEditor directory.
- Under the WindowsNoEditor folder, you’ll find a file called ‘GameUserSettings’.
- Open the user settings file using any text editor > Set ‘FullscreenMode=1’ to ‘FullscreenMode=0’ to save changes.
- Finally, try launching the game again to check for the issue.
7. Disable DirectX 12
If you use DirectX 12 on the PC, you can try turning it off. As the DirectX 12 version is the latest one available for Windows, it may be possible that your PC configuration isn’t capable of running it. To turn it off:
- Just head over to Settings > Video > Set ‘Enable DX12’ to ‘Off’.
- Restart Cities Skylines 2 game after applying changes.
8. Set Correct Rendering Device
Make sure to select the correct rendering device from the game settings menu that you can find below. To do so:
- Open the Steam client and then launch Cities Skylines 2 game > Go to the Video Settings menu from the game.
- Go to ‘Selected Rendering Device’ > Select your dedicated GPU. [Do not leave it to ‘Default’]
- Once done, reboot the game to save changes.
9. Disable Multi-Threaded Rendering
It seems that the in-game video settings menu in Cities Skylines 2 title has a multi-threaded rendering option enabled, somehow conflicting with the game crashing quite often. Make sure to disable the multi-threaded rendering option from the game menu to try resolving the issue. If using an AMD processor, turn it off and reboot the game to apply changes.
10. Turn Off Antivirus Protection
You should try turning off the Windows Defender protection on your PC to ensure no antivirus software is blocking the game files from running properly. To turn it off:
- Press Windows + I shortcut keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
- Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
- Now, click on the Open Windows Security button.
- Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.
- Next, you’ll need to turn off the Real-time protection toggle simply.
- If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
If you’re using any other antivirus program on your PC, then turn it off. However, if you’re not interested in disabling the antivirus software on the PC, you can just whitelist the game files to the antivirus software. To do that:
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
- Click on Cities Skylines 2 from the list of installed games.
- Now, click on the Settings icon next to Cities Skylines 2 game page.
- Click on Manage > Go to Browse local files.
- Next, open the Prospect folder > Binaries > Win64.
- You’ll find out a file ‘Prospect-Win64-Shipping’ under the Win64 folder.
- Make sure to click to select the file and then add it to the list.
- You’re good to go.
11. Repair Game Files
A corrupted or missing games files on the PC can eventually trigger multiple issues with the game launching or performance. To do so:
- Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.
- Right-click on Cities Skylines 2 from the list of installed games.
- Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.
- Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
- Once done, restart your computer.
Verifying game files is an excellent troubleshooting step if you encounter crashes, performance problems, or missing content.
12. Update Cities Skylines 2
If none of the methods worked for you, check for the Cities Skylines 2 game update because an outdated version can have bugs or stability issues. So, if you haven’t updated your game for a while, follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest update.
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on Cities Skylines 2 from the left pane.
- It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
- Wait some time to install the update > Close the Steam client.
- Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes and launch the game again.
In wrapping up, Cities Skylines 2, despite its intriguing storyline and captivating gameplay, has presented some launch and loading challenges for PC gamers. These issues, while disappointing, especially after the anticipation of the game’s release, are not uncommon with new titles. Players using platforms like Steam seem to be particularly affected. As with most PC gaming issues, solutions will likely emerge with time, patches, or community-shared fixes. Gamers must update their software and remain patient as developers promptly address such concerns.
I hope this guide helped resolve your PC issue. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. For those who are experiencing specific issues like getting stuck on the loading screen, crashing issue, Stuttering” error, C++ Redistributable Error, Hardware Not Supported, or Textures Not Loading in Game, it’s recommended to click on the provided link to get detailed troubleshooting steps and possible solutions. Always ensure your systems are up-to-date, and be patient as fixes and updates roll out.
