Paradox CEO Regrets Life By You Cancellation

Paradox Interactive's leadership has acknowledged strategic errors, with the abrupt cancellation of Life by You serving as a prime example. The CEO's recent statement reveals deeper insights into the company's development challenges.

Paradox Interactive CEO Confronts Challenges

Leadership Admits Strategic Errors

During their July 25 financial briefing, CEO Fredrik Wester openly addressed missteps in the company's recent projects. While core franchises like Crusader Kings continue performing strongly, the termination of Life by You highlighted strategic shortcomings.

"Our core strategy games remain financially healthy, but we've clearly misjudged several projects beyond our main focus," Wester explained. "Life by You's cancellation represents one of these difficult but necessary decisions."

Life Simulation Project Abandoned

The ambitious Life by You project marked Paradox's venture beyond their strategy game domain, potentially competing with established life simulation titles. After investing approximately $20 million and years of development, the company halted production on June 17, citing quality concerns.

This setback compounded other development issues, including performance problems with Cities: Skylines 2 and repeated delays for Prison Architect 2. These challenges prompted serious internal reevaluation of production processes and quality standards.

Wester emphasized that while facing these difficulties, their foundational strategy games continue performing well: "Amid necessary self-reflection, we shouldn't overlook that our core business remains fundamentally strong." The company now refocuses on strengthening their proven franchises while learning from recent development challenges.