Gamers Demand Polished Releases

Paradox Interactive's Shift in Strategy Following Game Setbacks

Following the cancellation of Life By You and the troubled launch of Cities: Skylines 2, Paradox Interactive has outlined its revised approach to game development and release. The company acknowledges a shift in player expectations and tolerance for post-launch issues.

Player Expectations and Post-Launch Support

Paradox CEO Mattias Lilja and CCO Henrik Fahraeus discussed the evolving player landscape with Rock Paper Shotgun. They noted a growing trend of higher player expectations and decreased tolerance for buggy releases, emphasizing the need for improved pre-launch quality assurance. The experience with Cities: Skylines 2's problematic launch highlighted the importance of extensive pre-release player feedback. Fahraeus stated the need for "a larger degree of openness with players" before launch.

Delays and Cancellations: Prison Architect 2 and Life By You

The indefinite delay of Prison Architect 2 stems from technical challenges, not fundamental design flaws, according to Lilja. The decision to delay prioritizes delivering a high-quality, stable product. The cancellation of Life By You, however, resulted from an inability to meet the company's internal quality standards and player expectations. Lilja clarified that the delay of Prison Architect 2 differs from the Life By You cancellation, citing an inability to maintain the desired development pace and encountering unexpectedly difficult-to-resolve technical issues.

The Competitive Gaming Landscape

Lilja highlighted the increasingly competitive gaming market, where players are quicker to abandon games, especially those with significant technical problems. This trend, he noted, has intensified in the past two years.

Addressing Past Issues

The negative reception of Cities: Skylines 2 led to a joint apology from Paradox and developer Colossal Order, along with a proposed "fan feedback summit." The initial paid DLC was also delayed due to performance issues. The Life By You cancellation was attributed to a lack of understanding of certain development challenges, a factor Lilja acknowledged as a company responsibility.