Paradox ‘Hates’ Its Reputation of Releasing Unfinished Games, Vows To Stop

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Paradox 'Hates' Its Reputation of Releasing Unfinished Games, Vows To Stop

Key Takeaways

  • Paradox Interactive CCO Henrik Fåhraeus said the company must “stop” releasing unfinished games.
  • Paradox deputy CEO Mattias Lilja attributed some of the studio’s recent mistakes to overconfidence.
  • Paradox confirmed that Prison Architect 2 and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 are still in development following numerous delays.

As a long-time fan who has witnessed Paradox Interactive’s rollercoaster ride in the gaming industry, it’s heartening to see the company take responsibility for its past mistakes and vow to do better. The recent interview with key executives was both revealing and reassuring, as they acknowledged their overconfidence and pledged to stop releasing unfinished games.

A high-ranking representative from Paradox Interactive has shown regret over the company’s past image of launching games that were not fully completed. This sentiment was echoed in a recent interview with some top executives at the Swedish game developer and publisher, where they pledged to improve their practices in the future.

Recently, the Swedish company has faced a turbulent journey. In June 2024, it abruptly cancelled “Life by You,” a highly anticipated game similar to The Sims, just weeks before its scheduled early access launch. They described it as a “significant failure.” This decision led to the closure of Tectonic, the California-based developer, which had around 24 employees at that time. These events followed close on the heels of Paradox receiving strong criticism from fans due to the poor quality of Cities: Skylines 2 upon its release in late 2023. The game was plagued with technical issues, and further angered players with its first DLC, Beach Properties, which was criticized for its lack of content. In response, Paradox issued refunds to everyone who purchased it and offered it as an apology.

Paradox Has ‘Got To Stop’ Releasing Unfinished Games, Exec Says

Looking back at some past challenges, I can’t help but feel regret about mistakes Paradox Interactive made in the past. As a long-time fan, I understand our company has had a reputation, at times, for releasing games that weren’t fully polished. This is something I deeply dislike and believe it needs to change.

Paradox CEO Attributes Recent Mistakes To Overconfidence

In response to queries about why the company abandoned a game they had been developing for five years, deputy CEO Mattias Lilja explained that Paradox became overly confident due to its past triumphs. He stated that these successes led the company to make significant investments in areas beyond their expertise. Specifically regarding the cancelled game “Life by You,” although it appeared to align with Paradox’s typical projects, they underestimated the challenges and complexities of the project because they lacked prior experience in creating life simulation games.

I strongly dislike the recurring or periodic issue our company has faced, which involves launching games that aren’t fully completed.

During the interview, Lilja expressed his thoughts on “Lamplighter’s League,” a tactical RPG that Paradox had labeled as a significant letdown shortly after its 2023 release. In his opinion, the game was merely “okay,” which he felt wasn’t sufficient in a specialized genre like this one. Fåhraeus concurred with him, stating that he would rank “XCOM 2” and “Phoenix Point” higher as more impressive contemporary tactical games compared to “Lamplighter’s League.

Prison Architect 2 and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Are Still in the Works

Regarding future projects, the executive pair affirmed that “Prison Architect 2” and “Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2” are actively being worked on. Despite experiencing delays numerous times over the years, with “Bloodlines 2” also changing developers in 2021, neither game is currently at risk of being shelved.

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2024-10-08 21:35