A major shake-up is happening in the city-building world! Paradox Interactive is parting ways with Colossal Order, the original developer of Cities: Skylines 2, after a 15-year partnership that began with Cities in Motion in 2011. This news comes at a time when Paradox is facing some challenges, with less-than-stellar reviews for games like Surviving Mars: Relaunched and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, which received only 41% and 56% positive feedback on Steam, respectively. But what does this mean for the future of Cities: Skylines 2?
Cities: Skylines 2 is a beloved title, consistently ranking among the best city-building games available. Paradox has kept players engaged with a steady stream of downloadable content (DLC). However, this new development could change things.
Colossal Order and Paradox jointly announced the split on the Paradox Plaza forum, with Colossal Order's CEO, Mariina Hallikainen, expressing excitement about pursuing new projects. Mattias Lilja, Paradox's deputy CEO, praised the partnership's achievements and expressed a commitment to supporting the Cities: Skylines community with more content.
The big question is: who will take over? The development reins will be handed to Iceflake Studios, already an internal management game studio within Paradox. Colossal Order will continue working on the upcoming bike patch and Old Town buildings until the end of the year, with Iceflake taking over in 2026.
According to a FAQ document, Iceflake will handle patches, polish, the editor, console editions, and future expansions. Paradox has assured fans that the core identity of Cities: Skylines 2 will remain intact.
But here's where it gets controversial... Iceflake's experience is primarily in mobile games, including Pirates Don't Run and Ice Lakes. On PC, they've worked on titles like Premium Pool Arena and Race Arcade. Their only venture into the city-building genre, Surviving the Aftermath, received mixed reviews, with a Metacritic score of 69 and a recent 53% positive rating on Steam. This could be a concern for Cities: Skylines fans.
As Paradox transitions to a new developer, expect a period of adjustment. This is a significant shift, and the future of Cities: Skylines 2 is now in the hands of a new team.
What do you think about this change? Do you have faith in Iceflake Studios to continue the legacy of Cities: Skylines 2? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
