Is Cities: Skylines still worth it in 2026? Tips for new mayors?

Cities: Skylines first launched back in 2015, and it remains a staple of the city-building genre. At $8.39 on Steam, it's an easy pickup for anyone curious about zoning, traffic management, and the joy of watching a small town grow into a metropolis. The core loop still holds up: start with basic roads and utilities, unlock services and policies over time, and eventually face the true boss fight — traffic.

For those who have played recently, is it still worth getting into now, more than a decade later? What advice would you give a first-time mayor to avoid common pitfalls like death waves or garbage backlogs? Should newcomers stick to vanilla for a while, or are there essential mods from the Steam Workshop that improve the experience right away? And how does it compare to other simulation or management games you've played? Feel free to share your own tips for keeping traffic flowing and budgets balanced.