service 2.0 update

# SERVICES 2.0: confirmed facts & preparation note

In about two weeks, Services 2.0 will be applied to every city (hopefully not tomorrow 😬)

The most important change is how service demand is calculated.

Previously, service coverage behaved like one building = one demand.

Now, each house generates its own demand, and a single house can generate up to ~50 demand, depending on house type. Important note to remember is that demand is calculated from the **number of houses, not population**.

**## Service capacity & value changes**

All service buildings become upgradeable, and every existing service building converts to level 1. Capacity now comes primarily from upgrades, not quantity. As a result, many pre-2.0 service buildings lose value.

For example, a Recycling Center that costs around 60k Simoleons today, it will be valued closer to 35k Simoleons after Services 2.0.

Omega services are affected more sharply. Previously, they were priced on a stacking curve: every additional Omega service increased the cost of the next one. After Services 2.0 lands, that pricing history disappears. Omega refunds collapse to a flat value of 5k NeoSimoleons, regardless of what was originally paid.

** ## PREPARATION (before Services 2.0)**

Small, low-capacity services, like wind power plants, basic water towers, and similar buildings, become space-inefficient under the new system. Clearing some of them before Services 2.0 frees space that will be needed while a city stabilizes.

For feeder or low-level cities below level 25, the priority is access. Before Services 2.0, it helps to secure, if possible, a Police Precinct, a Hospital, a Fusion Power Plant, a Water Pumping Station, a Deluxe Sewage Treatment Plant, and a Recycling Center. These buildings will be gated by city level or population, meaning low-level cities may not have access to them later. Once upgraded, a single building can cover most demand in these cities.

For cities level 30 and above, especially Omega-focused ones, refunds become the key consideration. As mentioned above, bulldozing Omega services currently returns half of their inflated purchase cost. After Services 2.0, that opportunity is gone.

If a city has surplus Omega services, removing them now preserves NeoSimoleons that **can later be used for upgrades**. The same logic applies to regional services: remove surplus before Services 2.0 and preserve regional currency for upgrades later.

. ## POST SERVICES 2.0

After Services 2.0 goes live, EA will provide some pre-upgraded service buildings, but not enough to fully stabilize every city or region. 

Immediately after collecting your buildings, **check your total service demand**.
At that moment, the game shows the **true demand** for the entire city, including uninhabited homes.
Later, when red bubbles appear, the UI only reflects demand from inhabited homes, making it seem like capacity is sufficient even while the city remains in deficit.

Service problems do not appear all at once. Power demand comes first, followed by water, then sewage, then waste. Address services in this order.

Omega services remain the most space-efficient option, but non-Omega services still have value as temporary stabilizers while upgrades are in progress. 

Despite what’s circulating online, cities could recover within a few days. Having Simoleons and NeoSimoleons available makes the process smoother. Patience helps. And having a great team helps even more. This update is easier to handle when you don’t face it alone.
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