Esri releases CityEngine 2026
Esri has updated CityEngine, its heavyweight procedural 3D city generation software.
Key changes in CityEngine 2026.0 include a new Python 3 API and updates to the street editing toolset.
A procedural tool for generating 3D city models for urban planning and VFX
CityEngine generates city models from procedural rules, importing data in file formats like OBJ and DXF, and exporting in formats including FBX, Alembic and USD.
Although aimed at architects and urban planners – it integrates with Esri’s ArcGIS platform – the software is also designed for entertainment, and comes with connections to DCC tools and game engines, including Houdini and Unreal Engine.
New Python 3 API officially out of beta
The main change in CityEngine 2026.0 is that the new Python 3 API, introduced in CityEngine 2025.1, is now out of beta, and has reached parity with the existing Jython API.
The API makes it easier for studios to integrate CityEngine into their work pipelines, write custom tools, or connect the software to generative AI services.
For CGA, CityEngine’s internal language, the automatic code completion system in the code editor has been revamped, generating suggestions with links to the internal documentation.
There are also workflow improvements to both the code editor and the Visual CGA Editor, the latter including a new resizeable sidebar for browsing and adding nodes.
New tools for editing street layouts
CityEngine’s street editing toolset, for laying out networks of city streets, gets new tools for selectively removing and merging nodes to clean up layouts.
The Street Designer tool, introduced in CityEngine 2025.0, also gets a few updates, including the option to set the radius of the kerb on all four corners of an intersection.
There are also new workflows for snapping objects to terrain when using the Transform Move and Edit Streets/Curves tools.
Pricing and system requirements
CityEngine 2026.0 is available for 64-bit Windows 11 and Server 2019+ and RHEL Server 8+ Linux, AlmaLinux 8+ and Rocky Linux 8+.
The software is available rental-only, via ArcGIS Professional subscriptions, which cost $2,200/year, or Professional Plus subscriptions, which cost $4,200/year.
Read an overview of the new features in CityEngine 2026.0 on the product blog
Read a full list of new features in CityEngine in the online changelog
Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.