Best Development Tree Unlocks in Cities Skylines 2

Time to get to work, Mayor.

Image of a circled road unlocked by development tree system in Cities: Skylines 2.
Image via Colossal Order

Fresh into Cities: Skylines 2, you’ll likely get choice paralysis over what to unlock from the Development Tree. It’s an entirely new system that gives you access to unique construction plans, and the best Development Tree unlocks in Cities: Skylines 2 are worth the investment.

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All Development Tree Unlocks in Cities: Skylines 2

As you slowly grow your virtual city brick by brick, the XP accumulated will allow you to hit Milestones to earn a money payout and points for the Development Tree unlocks. Cities: Skylines 2 is a slight departure from its predecessor in this way, locking new constructions behind the feature rather than tying them to Milestones like before. 

However, the Development Tree mechanic allows you to prioritize your growth around specific issues to let you be flexible. The following is a list of all the Development Tree unlocks in Cities: Skylines 2 separated by type:

  • Electricity – Gas Power Plant, Coal Power Plant, Nuclear Power Plant, Emergency Battery Station, Geothermal Power Plant, Solar Power Plant, and Hydroelectric Power Plant.
  • Roads – Roundabouts, Parking Areas, Underground Parking Buildings, Automated Parking Buildings, Advanced Road Services, Highways, Large Roads, Intersections, and Grand Bridge.
  • Healthcare & Deathcare – Hospital, Disease Control Center, and Health Research Institute.
  • Garbage – Incinerator Plant, Recycling Center, and Industrial Waste Processing.
  • Water – Water Treatment Plant and Advanced Water Pumping Station.
  • Education & Research – College, University, Radio Telescope, Geological Research Center, Large Hadron Collider, Technical University, and Medical University.
  • Fire & Rescue – Small Emergency Shelter, Large Emergency Shelter, Early Disaster Warning System, Fire Station, Firewatch Tower, Firefighting Helicopter Depot.
  • Transportation – Train, International Airport, Tram, Water, Air, Space Center, and Subway.
  • Parks & Recreation – Park Maintenance, Large Parks, Sports Parks, Large Sports Parks, and Tourist Attractions.
  • Police & Administration – Welfare Office, City Hall, Central Bank, Police Headquarters, Prison, and Central Intelligence Bureau.
  • Communication – Port Sorting Facility, Server Farm, Telecom Tower, and Sattelite Uplink.

Cities Skylines 2: Best Development Tree Unlocks to Get

Among all the constructions you can unlock from the Development Tree system, the best are Parks, Colleges, Port Sorting Facilities, Parking Lots, Recycling Centers, Water Treatment Plants, Trains, Subways, and Water Transportation.

Depending on your starting map, some of these will take more priority over others. The bottom line is that each one is essential to keeping your population happy or attracting more revenue for the city. Developing a metropolis can be tricky, but a well-thought-out unlock on the Development Tree can turn things around for you.

About the Author

Anthony Jones

Anthony is a Weekend Games Writer for Prima Games and an RPG nerd in love with retro games and the evolution of modern gaming. He has over two years experience as a games reporter with words at IGN, Game Informer, Distractify, Twinfinite, MMOBomb, The Escapist, and elsewhere. More than anything, Anthony loves to talk your ear off about JRPGs that changed his childhood (which deserve remakes) and analyzing the design behind beloved titles.