Life By You Screenshots Shared by Former Devs Provide Glimpse of What Could've Been

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

The abrupt cancellation of Paradox Interactive's Life by You continues to resonate with fans. Recently surfaced screenshots, sourced from the portfolios of former developers like Richard Kho, Eric Maki, and Chris Lewis (whose detailed GitHub contributions highlight animation, scripting, lighting, modding tools, shaders, and VFX), offer a poignant glimpse into the game's unrealized potential.

These images, compiled on X (formerly Twitter) by @SimMattically, showcase advancements beyond the final gameplay trailer. While not drastically different, fans have praised noticeable improvements. Comments highlight the disappointment surrounding the cancellation, emphasizing the game's potential for greatness.

The screenshots reveal detailed character customization with refined sliders and presets, along with intricately designed outfits suitable for varied weather conditions and seasons. The overall world environment appears richer and more atmospheric than previously shown. 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 significant development hurdles. Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja stated the game was "lacking in some key areas," making a satisfactory release too distant and uncertain. CEO Fredrik Wester echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the team's hard work but concluding that further development wouldn't yield a sufficiently polished product.

The cancellation surprised many, given the anticipation surrounding Life by You's potential to rival EA's The Sims franchise. The project's abrupt termination resulted in the closure of Paradox Tectonic, the studio responsible for its development. The released screenshots serve as a bittersweet reminder of a promising life simulator that never reached its full potential.