Life By You Removal: A Blunder Laments Paradox CEO

Paradox Interactive CEO admits missteps, highlighting Life by You cancellation

Paradox Interactive CEO Fredrik Wester recently acknowledged strategic errors within the company, notably the cancellation of the life simulation game, Life by You. This admission came during the company's July 25th financial earnings report.

While Paradox reported strong overall financial performance driven by flagship titles like Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis, Wester openly stated that several projects outside their core strategy game focus had faltered. The cancellation of Life by You, a significant departure from their usual strategy game formula, was a key example.

Life by You, intended as a competitor to the Sims franchise, had already received a substantial investment of nearly $20 million. Despite initial promise, the game ultimately failed to meet internal expectations, leading to its cancellation on June 17th.

Further compounding the challenges, Cities: Skylines 2 struggled with performance issues upon release, and Prison Architect 2 faced repeated delays despite achieving platform certification. These setbacks underscored the need for a reevaluation of Paradox's game development strategies.

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 refocusing on their strengths, Paradox Interactive aims to regain momentum and deliver high-quality games for their player base.