By
Angel Marquez
2023-07-12 06:34:33


Learn how to solve Cities Skylines crashing issues on PC. Follow our easy-to-follow steps.


Cities Skylines is a popular city-building simulation game that allows players to create and manage their own virtual cities. However, like any other PC game, it can sometimes experience crashes and technical issues. If you're experiencing frequent crashes while playing Cities Skylines on your PC, don't worry! In this blog post, we will provide you with some effective solutions to fix the crashing issue and get back to enjoying your virtual city-building adventures.

Turn off unnecessary programs and disable background software


One common reason for game crashes is the presence of unnecessary programs and background software running on your PC. These programs can consume system resources and interfere with the smooth operation of Cities Skylines. To fix this issue, you should turn off unnecessary programs or disable background software. Here are the steps to do it:

  • 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
  • 2. In the Processes or Details tab, identify the programs or processes that are using a significant amount of CPU or memory.
  • 3. Right-click on the program or process and select "End Task" or "End Process".

Run the game as an administrator


Running Cities Skylines as an administrator can help resolve compatibility issues and provide the game with the necessary permissions to run smoothly. To run the game as an administrator, follow these instructions:

  • 1. Right-click on the Cities Skylines shortcut or executable file.
  • 2. Select "Run as administrator" from the context menu.

Update Windows OS to the latest build


Outdated operating system builds can sometimes cause compatibility issues with games. To ensure that your Windows OS is up to date, follow these steps:

  • 1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type "Windows Update" in the search bar.
  • 2. Select "Windows Update settings" from the search results.
  • 3. Click on "Check for updates" and install any available updates.

Remove some mods/assets


Mods and assets can enhance your Cities Skylines gameplay, but they can also be the cause of crashes if they are incompatible or corrupted. To fix this issue, consider removing some mods or assets. Here are some guidelines to do it:

  • 1. Launch Cities Skylines and go to the Content Manager.
  • 2. Navigate to the Mods or Assets section.
  • 3. Disable or unsubscribe from mods or assets that you suspect might be causing crashes.
  • 4. Restart the game and check if the crashes still occur.

Set launch options on Steam




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Setting launch options on Steam can help resolve certain compatibility issues and optimize game performance. To set launch options for Cities Skylines on Steam, follow these instructions:

  • 1. Open the Steam client and go to your game library.
  • 2. Right-click on Cities Skylines and select "Properties".
  • 3. Click on the "Set Launch Options" button.
  • 4. In the launch options field, type "-force-d3d9" (without the quotes) and click "OK".

Update your graphics driver


Outdated or faulty graphics drivers can often be the cause of game crashes. To ensure that your graphics driver is up to date, follow these steps:

  • 1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  • 2. Type "devmgmt.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter to open the Device Manager.
  • 3. Expand the "Display adapters" category.
  • 4. Right-click on your graphics card and select "Update driver".
  • 5. Follow the on-screen instructions to update your graphics driver.

Repair corrupted game files


Corrupted game files can also lead to crashes in Cities Skylines. To fix this issue, you can use the game's built-in file repair feature. Here's how to do it:

  • 1. Open the Steam client and go to your game library.
  • 2. Right-click on Cities Skylines and select "Properties".
  • 3. Click on the "Local Files" tab.
  • 4. Click on the "Verify integrity of game files" button.
  • 5. Wait for the process to complete, and Steam will automatically repair any corrupted files.

Allow Cities Skylines to bypass your Firewall


Firewalls can sometimes interfere with the game's network connectivity, leading to crashes. To allow Cities Skylines to bypass your firewall, follow these steps:

  • 1. Open the Control Panel on your PC.
  • 2. Click on "System and Security" and then select "Windows Defender Firewall".
  • 3. Click on "Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall" on the left side of the window.
  • 4. Click on "Change settings" and scroll down to find Cities Skylines.
  • 5. Check the boxes next to both "Private" and "Public" and click "OK".

Disable DLC


One possible reason for Cities Skylines crashing on your PC could be the presence of incompatible or buggy DLC (Downloadable Content). DLCs are additional content packs that add new features and elements to the game. While DLCs can enhance your gameplay experience, they can also introduce compatibility issues that may lead to crashes.


To troubleshoot this problem, try disabling all of your DLCs and see if the game still crashes. If the crashes stop after disabling the DLCs, then it's likely that one or more of them is causing the issue. You can then try enabling them one by one to identify the problematic DLC and either update it or uninstall it altogether.



In conclusion, experiencing crashes while playing Cities Skylines on your PC can be frustrating, but it's not an unsolvable problem. By following the steps mentioned above, such as disabling DLCs and updating your drivers, you can greatly increase your chances of resolving the crashing issue. Remember, troubleshooting PC gaming issues can sometimes require a bit of trial and error. If one method doesn't work, don't get discouraged. Keep trying different solutions until you find the one that works for you.