Recently surfaced screenshots offer a poignant reminder of Paradox Interactive's cancelled life sim, Life by You. These images, shared online by former developers, showcase the game's impressive progress before its untimely demise.
Life by You's Cancellation: A Fresh Wound for Fans
Visual and Character Model Enhancements Impress Fans
Following the cancellation announcement, previously unseen screenshots of Life by You have appeared online, compiled by Twitter (X) user @SimMattically. The images originate from the portfolios of former team members, including Richard Kho, Eric Maki, and Chris Lewis, who also publicized their work on personal websites. Lewis's GitHub page details animation progress, scripting, and work on lighting, modding tools, shaders, and VFX.
The shared images provide a detailed look at the game's potential. While not drastically different from the final gameplay trailer, fans noted significant improvements. One fan commented, expressing widespread disappointment and acknowledging the game's unrealized potential.
The screenshots highlight well-coordinated outfits suitable for various weather conditions and seasons, suggesting a robust seasonal system. Character customization appears extensive, with refined sliders and presets. The overall game world exhibits increased detail and atmosphere compared to previous trailers.
Paradox Interactive's Deputy CEO, Mattias Lilja, explained the cancellation, citing delays due to "key areas lacking" in the development. He stated that the path to a satisfactory release was deemed too long and uncertain. CEO Fredrik Wester echoed this sentiment, highlighting the team's hard work but acknowledging the need to halt development when a satisfactory release wasn't feasible.
The cancellation surprised many, given the considerable anticipation surrounding Life by You, a PC title intended to compete with EA's The Sims franchise. The abrupt halt in development and subsequent closure of Paradox Tectonic, the game's studio, left fans disheartened.
