Life by You: Everything we know about Paradox’s canceled life sim

EA’s The Sims has had a stranglehold on the life simulation genre for a very long time. Developer Paradox Tectonic’s Life by You attempted to wrest that crown away, but its production didn’t go as planned.

Life by You was first teased in March 2023, promising a depth of simulation that players of the genre have yet to see in any competitor. Notably, it marked the first game developed by Paradox Tectonic, which was only founded in 2019.

The game was previously slated to go through a period of Early Access on Steam before its full release. Here’s everything the public knew about the now-canceled life sim.

Life by You’s cancellation

Paradox Interactive terminated Life by You’s production on June 17, 2024.

The publisher’s Deputy CEO, Mattias Lilja, explained in a statement on Paradox Forum that the team realized its path towards shipping a game everyone could take pride in would prove “far too long and uncertain.”

Previously, Paradox had delayed Life by You’s Early Access phase on three separate occasions. When it was first announced, developer Tectonic scheduled a September 2023 rollout for the Early Access version.

This was then pushed back to March 2024 to work on improving several features. A May 2024 news blast further delayed the project to that June, though hopeful players didn’t receive a new release date.

In an official statement from Paradox Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja, the developers affirmed they didn’t want to commit to a new date they couldn’t reliably meet.

As mentioned above, the next update revolved around Life by You’s cancellation, soon thereafter followed by the shuttering of Tectonic.

Paradox Interactive CEO Fredrik Wester broke the news of Paradox Tectonic’s closure on June 18.

Wester wrote the following about the 24-person studio in a press release, “Paradox Interactive has decided to cease further operations in the wholly owned studio Paradox Tectonic (Tectonic) in Berkeley, California.”

Life by You trailer

Life by You features

The headline feature, beyond its myriad management options, was Life by You’s fully open world. It had no loading screens and seamless transitions from the outside world to building interiors.

Conversations were also a huge part of the experience that developers touted as a way to deepen the simulation considerably. For example, NPCs would’ve spoken with the player character about their lives and recent happenings in dynamic conversations.

So if the player had recently secured a job at the local gym, friends or neighbors would’ve offered congratulations.

Developers planned on extending this level of interaction to colleagues capable of providing tips or even trying to extend the relationship beyond the workplace by inviting them to parties or on dates.

Life by You also promised a higher level of interactivity through driving, cycling, and other forms of travel, with realistic journeys into the city or countryside.

Another major feature centered on mod support. Apparently, the game’s advanced technology would’ve allowed for a more significant toolkit for modders.

Because Paradox ceased development operations, none of these features will ever see the light of day.