Be sure to read the CityEngine 2026.0 release notes for all the details on new features, enhancements, and bug fixes. Visit My Esri to upgrade to CityEngine 2026.0.
Are you new to CityEngine? Try it out with a fully-functional free-trial version.
Also, check out the CityEngine 2026.0 video highlights.
Use modern Python in your custom solutions
CityEngine now supports modern Python 3 features and syntax. Run your scripts in virtual environments or Conda environments and make use of the full Python third-party package ecosystem. We have provided a new user interface to simplify creating custom Python environments, the ability to easily add or remove third-party packages and three new examples that you can download and explore within CityEngine.
CityEngine 2026.0 also offers a new cityengine API module (and package of same name) for Python 3. It is interchangeable with the current Jython API provided in the scripting module. For your existing scripts, you only need to change the import name and apply the standard Python 2-to-3 syntax changes to run in the new environments. You can choose on a per-project basis to run a script either with Jython or with any configured Python environment. The new API package can be used with Python 3.11 or later and combined with other Esri packages such as arcgis or arcpy as well as third-party packages from the public PyPI and Anaconda repositories.
Customize UIs and reference external services in your custom solutions
Python provides a great range of UI libraries which you can leverage to implement custom UIs for use with CityEngine - from data entry to visualization and generative AI. Take a look at our blog post to see how you can use the Python API and third-party packages to run generative AI filters on CityEngine screenshots with a single click.
Make easy use of the vast Python ecosystem
To manage Python environments and package lists, the Python preferences have been expanded with an intuitive environment and package manager. It allows you to conveniently create, add, and delete virtual (venv) and Conda environments (including environments created in ArcGIS Pro) as well as run pip and conda package management commands to add and remove packages.
We have a new blog post detailing how to import data from Overture Maps, enriching your CityEngine scenes with great GIS content.
Publish custom metrics from CityEngine to ArcGIS Urban using Python
Python is a great tool to work with other APIs. This blog post demonstrates how you can use the ArcGIS Urban GraphQL API to publish custom, rule-based metrics from CityEngine to ArcGIS Urban, see the three-step workflow below:
Streets: New node cleanup tools, flexible Intersections, and improved curbside design
Street Designer gets a major boost in this release, with smarter node cleanup, more flexible intersection shaping, and richer curbside design. Together these updates help you edit street networks faster and model conditions that are closer to real-world urban design.
Remove Nodes Tool
The new Remove Nodes tool allows you to clean up streets in seconds, deleting individual nodes or bulk-selecting many at once, with optional curve refitting for smooth results.
Enable the Remove joints only option to limit deletion to two-segment nodes, preserving intersections during multi-selection.
Merge Nodes Tool
The new Merge Nodes tool makes it easier to combine multiple nodes into one, with full control over the resulting placement.
Drag and select a group of nodes or pick a single one and then position the merged node freely or snap it to existing features for precise alignment.
Flexible Intersections
Intersection design is now more precise. Per-corner curb radius controls are available directly in the Inspector window, so you can shape more realistic context-sensitive junctions.
New transit and pedestrian features
We also expanded lane-rule content for transit stops and narrowings, adding bus bays, bus bulbs, transit shelters, zebra crosswalks, pedestrian islands, and rounded lane endings for intersection entrances. These additions make it easier to design streets that reflect real transit and pedestrian infrastructure.
Visual CGA Editor: Faster node browsing with previews
Creating and editing designs in the Visual CGA Editor is now faster and more intuitive with the new preview-based Node Browser. Each component in the ESRI.lib is displayed with a visual preview, making it easier to identify and understand its functionality at a glance. The Node Browser also provides improved search capabilities and clearer navigation through folder hierarchies, helping you find the right components faster. A detailed description is available for every node, and nodes can be dragged and dropped directly into the graph to build and modify your design. You can easily replace nodes and see the results immediately, making design iterations more fluid and interactive.
ESRI.lib has been expanded with new balcony components, providing greater flexibility for architectural designs. Window components have been refined and simplified, and massing components have been enhanced to work better with slanted parcels.
The VCGA Playground Example has been updated with the new components – download it from within CityEngine.
CGA Editor: Faster, smarter CGA coding
The redesigned CGA Editor makes it easier than ever to write and understand CGA rules, helping you stay focused without switching between tools. As you type, code completion suggests relevant operations and functions and shows their documentation, so you can work faster with fewer interruptions. Existing code can be analyzed by hovering over operations and functions to view their documentation directly in the editor. You can also jump to the corresponding section in the CGA Reference window using the context menu. The CGA Reference itself has been refreshed with a modern look. The experience is rounded out by improved code readability through a new default font and increased line spacing. The new features can be customized in the preferences.
Licensing changes
The Concurrent Use and Single Use license types have been retired, simplifying the licensing model to the remaining Named User type. This approach only requires you to have an ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise account with an active CityEngine license, ensuring seamless access and easier management. There’s no longer a need to launch CityEngine Administrator to configure licensing or to install the ArcGIS License Manager - removing extra steps and reducing setup complexity. Instead, getting started is as simple as signing in when CityEngine launches. See Authorizing your software to learn more.
Tutorials and documentation
We have refurbished the Essentials: Work with GIS tutorial to have the most current import and street editing workflow. This tutorial is based on a real-world example and now has been updated to include use cases for the new Merge Nodes and Remove Nodes tools, assigning street configurations, and using guides in your editing workflows. We also provided additional guidance to set parcel edges and set up layer compositions for 360 VR exports.
Furthermore, with the new Street editing tools, we've restructured the street editing documentation into new pages with enhanced images and updated tables.