Paradox Splits with Cities: Skylines Studio After 15 Years
▼ Summary
– Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order have mutually ended their partnership, with Colossal Order pursuing new creative opportunities.
– Cities: Skylines 2 development will transfer to Iceflake Studios, Paradox’s internal studio, starting in 2026.
– Cities: Skylines 2 faced criticism for performance issues at its 2023 launch, and console versions are still delayed.
– Iceflake Studios will handle all future updates, console editions, and expansions for Cities: Skylines 2, leveraging their city-building experience.
– This change follows other recent Paradox separations and cancellations, reflecting a broader strategic shift within the company.
Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order have officially ended their 15-year partnership, a move both companies describe as a mutual and thoughtful decision made in the best interest of each team. This separation marks a significant shift for the beloved Cities: Skylines franchise. Colossal Order will now pursue new creative ventures, while the development responsibilities for Cities: Skylines 2 will transition to Iceflake Studios, an internal management game studio owned by Paradox.
The sequel, which launched in October 2023, faced considerable criticism upon release for significant performance problems. The console versions of the game have also experienced a notably troubled development cycle and their release remains delayed.
Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order, reflected on the long-standing relationship in a joint statement. She expressed that the Cities series and the partnership with Paradox have been a defining element of the studio’s history. Starting with Cities in Motion, the team never anticipated it would evolve into a globally cherished franchise with a deeply passionate community. She extended gratitude to everyone at Paradox for their trust and collaboration, and to the players for their incredible support that shaped the series into what it is today. Hallikainen voiced confidence that the franchise will continue to flourish under Paradox’s stewardship, and she shared excitement about channeling the team’s experience and creativity into new projects that fit their long-term vision.
Mattias Lilja, Deputy CEO of Paradox Interactive, echoed these sentiments, calling the partnership with Colossal Order one of the longest and most rewarding relationships in the company’s history. He highlighted the remarkable achievements of four main games, dozens of expansions, and a community of millions of players. Lilja stated profound respect for the Colossal Order team and looks forward to their future endeavors. On Paradox’s side, the commitment remains strong to continue serving the passionate Cities: Skylines community with more content and fresh experiences.
Starting in early 2026, Iceflake Studios will assume full control over all ongoing development for Cities: Skylines 2. This includes delivering free updates, continuing work on the Editor tool, finally launching the long-awaited console editions, and producing future expansions.
Lasse Liljedahl, Studio Manager of Iceflake Studios, called the opportunity to lead a genre-defining franchise like Cities an immense honor and a great responsibility. He directly addressed the large and loyal community, promising to carry the legacy forward with humility and respect. Liljedahl emphasized that Iceflake Studios possesses the necessary capacity and a full decade of experience in creating city-building and management games. He sees a strong foundation already in place and immense potential waiting to be unlocked, expressing eagerness to reveal the studio’s plans for the next chapter of the game.
Before the transition is complete, Colossal Order will finalize its remaining work, which includes the upcoming Bike Patch, the addition of Old Town buildings, various bug fixes, and other general improvements.
This developer change occurs during a challenging period for Paradox, a publisher renowned for its strategy and simulation titles. The company previously parted ways with Double Eleven, the developer of Prison Architect 2, last year and abruptly canceled its life simulation game, Life By You.
In a previous discussion about the company’s future direction, Lilja outlined a strategy of starting small, listening to fan feedback early in the development process, and staying true to the company’s core strengths. He mentioned implementing more extensive and earlier peer reviews to gather honest critiques sooner. While he affirmed the company’s desire to take creative risks and experiment with new ideas, he stressed the need for greater discipline in these pursuits than had been demonstrated in the past.
Last month, Paradox released the long-anticipated action-RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, which was met with largely negative critical reception. Reviews described the game as feeling hollow and merely functional, salvaged only by some standout performances from its cast.
(Source: EuroGamer)