PDX CEO Regrets ‘Life by You’ Shutdown

Paradox Interactive CEO admits strategic errors, highlighting Life by You cancellation

Paradox Interactive's CEO, Fredrik Wester, acknowledged missteps in recent company decisions, notably the cancellation of the life simulation game, Life by You. This admission came during the company's July 25th financial report.

While Paradox reported strong financial results driven by flagship titles like Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis, Wester openly stated that strategic errors were made on several projects outside their core competency. The cancellation of Life by You, a significant investment nearing $20 million, exemplifies this. Despite showing initial promise as a potential Sims competitor, the game ultimately failed to meet expectations, leading to its June 17th cancellation.

Further compounding the challenges, Cities: Skylines 2 struggled with performance issues upon release, and Prison Architect 2 faced repeated delays. These setbacks underscore the need for a strategic review of Paradox's game development approach.

Wester emphasized the company's strong foundation built on the continued success of core titles like Crusader Kings and Stellaris. By acknowledging their mistakes and focusing on their strengths, Paradox Interactive aims to regain momentum and deliver high-quality games to their player base.