Gamers Intolerant of Bug-Riddled Games

Paradox Interactive Adjusts Strategy Following Game Development Setbacks

Following the cancellation of Life By You and the troubled launch of Cities: Skylines 2, Paradox Interactive has outlined a revised approach to game development. The publisher acknowledges a shift in player expectations, highlighting increased scrutiny and less tolerance for post-launch bug fixes.

CEO Mattias Lilja and CCO Henrik Fahraeus discussed this evolving player landscape with Rock Paper Shotgun. Lilja emphasized players' heightened expectations and decreased trust in developers' ability to rectify issues after release. The experience with Cities: Skylines 2's problematic launch underscored this reality.

The company now prioritizes more rigorous pre-release testing and increased player involvement. Fahraeus cited the lack of extensive pre-release player testing as a contributing factor to Cities: Skylines 2's issues, stating a desire for "a larger degree of openness with players" before future launches.

This revised strategy is evident in the indefinite delay of Prison Architect 2. While Lilja confirmed positive gameplay, technical challenges necessitated the postponement to ensure a higher quality release. He clarified this delay differs from the Life By You cancellation, attributing it to unforeseen technical difficulties rather than unmet design goals. These technical hurdles proved "harder to fix than we thought," despite peer reviews and user testing.

Lilja further noted the increasingly competitive gaming market, where players quickly abandon subpar titles. This trend, intensified in recent years, has informed Paradox's decision to prioritize quality and stability. The Cities: Skylines 2 launch, marred by significant performance issues and resulting in a public apology and a "fan feedback summit," serves as a stark example of these consequences. The cancellation of Life By You, ultimately due to unmet development standards, further reinforces the company's commitment to enhanced quality control. Lilja acknowledged internal shortcomings in fully understanding certain development challenges.