Developer Change Announced for Cities: Skylines Game
Paradox Interactive has announced a significant change regarding the future development of the popular city-builder series, Cities: Skylines. The development responsibilities will now shift from Colossal Order to Iceflake Studios, an internal studio owned by Paradox.
Transition of Development Roles
This decision comes after a mutual agreement between Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive. An announcement made on the Cities: Skylines II forum highlighted the thoughtfulness behind this transition, ensuring a promising future for the franchise.
Statements from Leadership
- Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order, expressed gratitude for the partnership with Paradox, emphasizing the impact of the Cities franchise over the past fifteen years.
- Mattias Lilja, Deputy CEO of Paradox Interactive, acknowledged the accomplishments achieved during their long-time collaboration and expressed enthusiasm for continuing to serve the Cities: Skylines community.
About Iceflake Studios
Iceflake Studios, based in Tampere, Finland, will now take on the development duties of the Cities franchise. Studio Manager Lasse Liljedahl stated that accepting leadership over such a renowned series is both an honor and a responsibility. He assured the community of the studio’s commitment to preserving the legacy of Cities: Skylines.
Future Development Plans
Colossal Order will oversee some final updates for Cities: Skylines II, which include implementing bike features and addressing bug fixes. However, Iceflake Studios will officially start development on all new content beginning in 2026.
An Established Legacy
Colossal Order, founded in 2009, gained recognition with the release of Cities in Motion in 2011, but its greatest success emerged from Cities: Skylines in 2015, which has sold over 12 million copies across various platforms. The sequel, Cities: Skylines II, was released in 2023.
Console Versions Update
Originally slated to launch alongside the PC version, the console releases of Cities: Skylines II have experienced delays. Now, these versions will also be developed by Iceflake Studios.
The Partnership’s Unique Structure
Initially, Colossal Order accepted a deal with Paradox that allowed the latter to control the Cities IP, while Colossal Order maintained its independence. This arrangement has enabled the studio to pursue its unique goals while Paradox takes charge of the franchise’s direction.
This shift in development marks a new chapter for the Cities: Skylines series. Fans can anticipate continued growth and fresh experiences from the franchise under its new developers at Iceflake Studios.
