As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes recommend products from other sellers at no extra cost you. For more details see my disclosure policy and privacy policy.
City builders and 4X fans both got plenty to unpack this week. Between Cities: Skylines II’s biggest expansion yet and Endless Legend 2 finally leaving Early Access, there’s no shortage of ways to fill your evenings. Here’s what actually matters for your next session.
| Story | Category | Key Detail | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities: Skylines II Expansion Pass 2 | Simulation | Park Adventures & City Vacations, $44.99, launched 15 Sept | New park management system and 100+ assets for city builders |
| Endless Legend 2 hits 1.0 | Strategy | Full launch 22 Sept after a year in Early Access | Early reviews call it a genuine rival to Civ VII |
| Sims 4 September patch | Simulation | 95+ bug fixes, new CAS and Build items, 22 Sept | Fixes long-standing relationship decay and animation bugs |
| Civilization VII update 1.5.0 | Strategy | Hall of History DLC leaders, True Start Earth map, 15 Sept | Two new leaders and a map option, with a known achievement bug |
| Home of Wargamers 2026 | Worth Watching | Free streamed event, 30 Sept | A rare spotlight on niche wargames like Strategic Command |
🎯 Quick Wins
Endless Legend 2 hits 1.0. Amplitude’s fantasy 4X launched its full release on 22 September after a year in Early Access, with players racking up 70 million turns during testing. Early reviews are calling it a genuine step up from Civ VII in several areas. If 4X has felt stale lately, this is worth the download.
Sims 4’s September patch lands. The update ships more than 95 bug fixes, including a fix for Sims dancing far too often and an overdue rebalance to Relationship Satisfaction decay from the Lovestruck pack. New Create-a-Sim and Build items round it out. If Lovestruck’s decay rate has been wearing you down, it’s noticeably gentler now.
Civilization VII’s 1.5.0 update keeps rolling out fixes. The Hall of History DLC adds George Washington and Elizabeth I as playable leaders alongside three new civilisations, plus a True Start Location Earth map. Hold off claiming DLC-leader achievements for now: Steam players have hit an unlock bug, so save before your win and reload once the patch lands.
Chill Place Gaming Store
Take your game further 🎮
Reference sheets, printable guides, and gaming goodies — made by the Chill Place Gaming team to help you play smarter.
Secure checkout
powered by Shopify
🧠 Strategy Spotlight
Cities: Skylines II’s Expansion Pass 2 is the biggest content drop the game has had, and it’s worth a proper look. For $44.99, about 24% cheaper than buying the pieces separately, it bundles Park Adventures, City Vacations, a Downtown Market Set, three Creator Packs, a new radio station and the Autumn Breeze patch.
Park Adventures is the headline feature: a full park management system covering zoos, amusement parks and nature reserves, with over 100 new assets and five maps to build them on. City Vacations adds seasonal visitor fluctuations and new attractions, which means tourism income will swing more with the calendar than it used to. Strategically, that rewards cities that diversify their draws instead of leaning on one mega-attraction.
The Downtown Market Set is the quick win here: dropping shipping containers and food trucks into an awkward empty lot turns dead space into a social hub without a full zoning overhaul. If your city’s traffic layout is already under control, our guide to advanced junctions and traffic fixes pairs well with the new tourism surges this update brings.
👀 Worth Watching
Home of Wargamers 2026 streams free on YouTube and Twitch on 30 September at 7pm CEST, with Strategic Command, Armored Brigade II and Decisive Campaigns all getting airtime. It’s a rare look at wargames that don’t usually get mainstream coverage.
Further out, Company of Heroes: Definitive Edition is confirmed for early 2027. The remaster bundles the original game with the Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor expansions, rebuilt on 64-bit architecture with upgraded graphics and full modding support.
💬 Community Corner
Endless Legend 2’s launch has strategy forums busy this week, with players comparing its faction variety and systems favourably against Civ VII’s current age structure. The consensus so far leans toward Endless Legend 2 rewarding longer-term planning over snowballing an early lead, which is a shift worth knowing before you pick a faction.
⏭️ Next Week’s Prep
Watch for Valve’s fix on Civ VII’s achievement bug and the first wave of community reaction to Autumn Breeze once more players get hands-on with Park Adventures. If you want the fuller Civilization VII picture before then, our Deity difficulty guide covers what’s changed under the new update.
Continue Your Journey
Catch up on last week’s roundup for the context on Endless Legend 2’s Early Access run and Cities: Skylines II’s earlier patches, then dig into our Civilization VII Deity difficulty guide and our Cities: Skylines II traffic guide for more ways to put this week’s updates to use.
