Recently surfaced screenshots offer a poignant glimpse into the potential of Paradox Interactive's cancelled life simulation game, Life by You. These images, circulating online, showcase the considerable progress made by the development team before the project's unfortunate demise.
Life by You's Cancellation: A Second Look at Lost Potential
Fan Acclaim for Visual and Character Model Enhancements
Following Paradox Interactive's announcement cancelling the highly anticipated Life by You, previously unseen screenshots have emerged online. Compiled on Twitter (X) by @SimMattically, these images come from the portfolios of former artists and developers, including Richard Kho, Eric Maki, and Chris Lewis, who also showcased their work on personal sites. Lewis's GitHub page even provides details on animation processes, scripting, and advancements in lighting, modder tools, shaders, and VFX.
The shared images offer a revealing look at Life by You's unrealized potential. While fans noted similarities to the final gameplay trailer, they also highlighted significant improvements. One fan commented on the disappointment of the cancellation, acknowledging the game's potential greatness.
The screenshots reveal detailed outfits seemingly designed for varied weather conditions and seasons, hinting at a robust in-game world. Character customization appeared extensive, boasting refined sliders and numerous presets. Furthermore, the overall environment seemed richer and more atmospheric than depicted in earlier trailers.
In a statement following the cancellation, Paradox Interactive's Deputy CEO, Mattias Lilja, explained the decision, citing shortcomings in key areas and an uncertain path to a satisfactory release. CEO Fredrik Wester echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the team's dedication but ultimately concluding that further development wouldn't yield a sufficiently polished product.
The cancellation of Life by You, intended as a PC release to rival EA's The Sims, surprised many given the pre-release excitement. The abrupt halt in development led to the closure of Paradox Tectonic, the studio responsible for the game.
