Former Devs Share Unseen 'Life By You' Screenshots

Life by You's Cancellation: A Look at What Could Have Been

The recent cancellation of Paradox Interactive's Life by You continues to resonate with fans. Newly surfaced screenshots, compiled on X (formerly Twitter) by @SimMattically and sourced from the portfolios of former developers like Richard Kho, Eric Maki, and Chris Lewis (whose GitHub details animation, scripting, lighting, and more), offer a poignant glimpse into the game's potential.

These images, showcasing refined visuals and character models, have generated considerable fan discussion. While not drastically different from the final gameplay trailer, the screenshots reveal notable improvements. Fans praise the enhanced detail and atmosphere, the more extensive character customization with improved sliders and presets, and the appealing outfit designs suitable for various weather conditions and seasons. One fan lamented, "We were all superexcited and impatient; and then we all ended up extremely disappointed… :( Could have been a great game !"

Paradox Interactive's explanation for the cancellation cited shortcomings in key areas and an uncertain path to a satisfactory release. Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja stated the road to a confident release was "far too long and uncertain," while CEO Fredrik Wester emphasized that further development wouldn't yield a sufficiently satisfying product.

The cancellation, particularly surprising given the game's anticipated rivalry with EA's Sims franchise, resulted in the closure of Paradox Tectonic, the studio behind the project. The released screenshots serve as a bittersweet reminder of the potential lost with Life by You's premature demise.