How to get Cities: Skylines free is worth answering, since this Colossal Order city-builder became the definitive urban planning game the moment it launched in 2015, surpassing SimCity as the genre’s gold standard. Design and maintain a thriving city, from transportation planning to power grids, all with the depth serious city-builder fans expect. Steam lists the base game at $29.99, and this guide covers two legitimate ways past that, plus a genuine giveaway history that’s happened more than once.
Snakzy lets you earn real rewards by simply playing your favorite mobile games, redeemable for a Steam gift card. Eneba sells legitimate Cities: Skylines keys often well under the official price, sometimes down to just a couple of dollars during promotions. Both routes end in a permanent, legitimate license.
| Game Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Game price | $29.99 on Steam |
| Metacritic rating | 85 critic, 8.8 user |
| Steam user reviews | Very Positive, from tens of thousands of reviews |
| Genre | City-building simulation |
| Developer | Colossal Order |
| Publisher | Paradox Interactive |
Is Cities: Skylines Free?
No, Cities: Skylines is a paid game priced at $29.99 on Steam, with no permanent free-to-play version. It has, however, been given away completely free by the Epic Games Store more than once, most recently in March 2022, and previously in December 2020. Those specific windows have closed. The only ongoing legitimate no-cost routes are earning enough through Snakzy to redeem a Steam gift card, or buying a discounted key through Eneba.
What Is Cities: Skylines?
Cities: Skylines is a city-building simulation developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive, released in 2015. It quickly surpassed SimCity as the genre’s gold standard, selling over 12 million copies and holding an 85 Metascore alongside an 8.8 user score, remarkably consistent numbers for a decade-old simulation title. As mayor, you’re responsible for zoning, transportation, utilities, and every other system that keeps a growing city functioning, with the game’s simulation depth widely considered its defining strength.
The base game has no built-in DLC, but Colossal Order and Paradox have released a substantial library of expansions since launch covering everything from mass transit to natural disasters, plus deep Steam Workshop mod support that dramatically extends what’s possible. A sequel, Cities: Skylines II, released in 2023 to a genuinely mixed reception, which has actually driven renewed interest back toward the original as the more polished, stable experience for many players.
How Much Does Cities: Skylines Cost?
Cities: Skylines costs $29.99 on Steam for the base game at its standard listing. Discounts show up regularly and deep, with the game dropping as low as $2.01 on Eneba during a past promotion, a 93% cut off list price. If you’d rather not wait for a sale, the Snakzy method below covers the price no matter what it’s currently listed at.
Was Cities: Skylines Ever Free Anywhere?
Yes, and more than once. The Epic Games Store gave away Cities: Skylines completely free during its December 2020 Holiday Sale, and again during a standalone weekly giveaway in March 2022, both genuine permanent copies for anyone who claimed them during those windows, with only add-on DLC excluded from the free offer. Neither giveaway included Steam Workshop mod support, since that’s exclusive to the Steam version. Both promotions have closed and haven’t repeated since. It has not been added to Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, though the sequel, Cities: Skylines II, is currently on PC Game Pass. If you missed the Epic giveaways, Snakzy or a discounted Eneba key remain the realistic paths to a permanent Steam copy with full mod support.
Cities: Skylines Platform Availability
| Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
| PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Mac App Store) | Only the Steam version includes Workshop mod support |
| PS4 / Xbox One / Switch | Console editions available |
Cities: Skylines is available on PC through Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Mac App Store, plus PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Since Snakzy rewards redeem for a Steam gift card, this guide’s free method targets the Steam PC release specifically, the version with the deepest modding support.
Cities: Skylines System Requirements
| Spec | Notes |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows XP through Windows 10 or later |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Any average graphics card; DirectX 11 recommended for better visuals |
Cities: Skylines runs comfortably on even fairly old hardware given its 2015 release, though very large, densely built cities with heavy mod usage can push CPU and RAM demands considerably higher than the baseline suggests.
How Does Cities: Skylines Play?
The core loop centers on zoning residential, commercial, and industrial districts, then connecting them with roads, utilities, and public transit as your city grows organically around your decisions. Traffic simulation is one of the game’s most praised systems, with individually simulated citizens making genuine commuting choices based on how well or poorly your road network actually functions.
Beyond basic city management, expansions and mods add layers like natural disaster response, mass transit systems including trains and airports, and detailed district policies that let you fine-tune everything from pollution to education funding. Steam Workshop support is central to the game’s long-term appeal, with thousands of community-made assets, maps, and gameplay mods available for free.
Cities: Skylines Top Features
- Deep traffic simulation – Individually simulated citizens make real commuting decisions based on your road network.
- Extensive Steam Workshop support – Thousands of free community mods and assets extend the game well beyond its base content.
- Comprehensive city systems – Zoning, utilities, transit, and district policies all interact in genuinely complex ways.
- A decade of expansions – Paradox has released numerous DLC packs covering mass transit, disasters, and more since 2015.
- A genre-defining reputation – Widely credited with surpassing SimCity as the modern city-builder standard.
How To Get Cities: Skylines Free With Snakzy
Snakzy lets you earn real rewards by simply playing your favorite mobile games. Accumulate points, redeem them for cash or Steam credits, and get premium games at zero cost. No credit card required. Because Cities: Skylines is only $29.99, most users clear it comfortably within a single payout cycle.
Steps:
- Download Snakzy on Android from the Google Play Store; iOS users can access it through the web version, as there is currently no native iOS app.
- Browse available offers inside the app. Offers vary by region and rotate regularly.
- Complete offers to earn coins, tracking your progress toward $29.99 inside the app.
- Redeem coins for a Steam gift card once your balance hits the required threshold.
- Use the gift card to buy Cities: Skylines on Steam.
Minimum cashout threshold is $35. On average, users earn their first $27.70 payout within 6.5 days, comfortably covering this game’s price with balance left over. Payout speed and offer availability vary by country, so check current rates inside the app before planning around a specific timeline.
Get Cities: Skylines Cheaper On Eneba
Not everyone wants to build up a Snakzy balance before playing. Eneba sells legitimate Cities: Skylines keys, often well under the official price, with historical lows around $2 during major promotions. The key is a genuine, permanent Steam license with full mod support, redeemed the same way as a normal purchase. Prices fluctuate, so check the live listing before checkout.
Is It Legal To Get Cities: Skylines Free With Snakzy?
Yes. Snakzy pays users in coins for completing offers, those coins convert into a real Steam gift card, and the gift card is used for an official Steam purchase. Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive get paid the same as if you had bought the game directly, and the result is a legitimate license tied to your Steam account.
What to avoid: unofficial “free download” sites and cracked installers. These carry real malware risk and no legitimate license, and a cracked copy typically can’t access Steam Workshop, cutting you off from the mods that define much of the long-term experience. Buying or earning your copy through legitimate means keeps that support going.
Verdict
Cities: Skylines backs up its genre-defining reputation with real numbers: an 85 Metascore, over 12 million copies sold, and two genuine Epic Games Store giveaways since launch. With Cities: Skylines II landing to a more mixed reception, the original remains one of the most polished, mod-friendly city-builders available, and a strong pick for anyone new to the genre.
Getting it for free comes down to time rather than money: download Snakzy, work offers toward the $35 redemption threshold, and redeem for a Steam gift card that comfortably covers the $29.99 price. From there, buying Cities: Skylines is just a normal Steam checkout.
FAQs
Is Cities: Skylines free to play?
No, it’s a paid game priced at $29.99 on Steam with no permanent free-to-play version. It’s been given away free on the Epic Games Store more than once, though those promotions have ended. Snakzy or a discounted Eneba key are the ongoing legitimate ways to get a permanent copy.
Was Cities: Skylines ever free anywhere?
Yes, twice. The Epic Games Store gave it away completely free during its December 2020 Holiday Sale and again in a March 2022 weekly giveaway, both genuine permanent copies without DLC or Workshop mods.
What platforms is Cities: Skylines on?
PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Mac App Store, plus PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Only the Steam version includes full Workshop mod support.
What is the Metacritic score for Cities: Skylines?
It holds an 85 with an 8.8 user score, remarkably consistent numbers sustained since its 2015 release.
Is it safe to get Cities: Skylines through Snakzy?
Yes. Snakzy-earned Steam gift cards are redeemed through Steam’s official checkout, making the resulting purchase fully legitimate. Avoid unofficial free download sites instead, since those carry real malware and account-ban risk with no legal license attached.
