Cities: Skylines 2, the much-anticipated sequel to the popular city-building simulation game, allows players to create and manage their own urban landscapes. As with any game, ensuring your progress is backed up is crucial to avoid losing hours of hard work. Whether you’re looking to transfer your save files to another device or create backups, knowing the save file location is essential. This article guides you on where to find the Cities: Skylines 2 save file location for backup purposes.
Table of Contents
Why Backup Your Save Files?
Before diving into the specifics of locating your save files, it’s important to understand why backing them up is necessary:
1. Prevent Data Loss: Save files can become corrupted or accidentally deleted. Backing them up ensures you don’t lose your progress.
2. Transfer Between Devices: If you want to play on another computer, having a backup allows you to transfer your save files easily.
3. Reverting to Previous States: Sometimes, updates or mods might affect your game negatively. A backup lets you revert to a previous, stable state.
Finding the Save File Location
The save file location for Cities: Skylines 2 varies depending on your operating system. Here’s a step-by-step guide for both Windows and Mac users.
For Windows Users:
1. Default Save Location:
The default save location for Cities: Skylines 2 on a Windows PC is typically found in the user’s AppData directory. Here’s how to navigate to it:
– Press `Win + R` to open the Run dialog box.
– Type `%AppData%` and press Enter. This will take you to the Roaming folder within AppData.
– Navigate to `..\LocalLow\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines 2\Saves`.
The complete path should be something like:
“`
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\LocalLow\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines 2\Saves
“`
2. Alternative Method:
If the above method doesn’t work, you can manually navigate to the folder:
– Open File Explorer.
– Go to `This PC`.
– Navigate to `C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\LocalLow\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines 2\Saves`.
Ensure you have the option to view hidden files enabled, as the AppData folder is hidden by default. To do this, go to the View tab in File Explorer and check the “Hidden items” box.
For Mac Users:
1. Default Save Location:
On macOS, the save files are usually stored in the Application Support folder. Follow these steps to locate it:
– Open Finder.
– Click on `Go` in the menu bar and select `Go to Folder`.
– Type `~/Library/Application Support/Colossal Order/Cities Skylines 2/Saves` and press Enter.
The complete path should be:
“`
/Users/[YourUsername]/Library/Application Support/Colossal Order/Cities Skylines 2/Saves
“`
Creating a Backup
Once you’ve located the save files, creating a backup is straightforward:
1. Copy Save Files:
– Select the save files you wish to back up. These files typically have extensions like `.csl2` or similar.
– Right-click and select Copy.
2. Paste to Backup Location:
– Navigate to the location where you want to store your backups, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage.
– Right-click and select Paste.
Ensure you regularly update your backup, especially after significant progress or major updates to the game.
Backing up your Cities: Skylines 2 save files is a simple yet crucial task to protect your progress and ensure you can enjoy the game without interruption. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily locate and back up your save files on both Windows and Mac systems. This proactive approach will save you time and frustration, allowing you to focus on building the city of your dreams.