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

Recently surfaced screenshots, shared by former Life by You developers, offer a poignant glimpse into Paradox Interactive's cancelled life simulation game. The images reveal the significant progress made before the project's untimely demise.

Life by You's Cancellation: A Second Look

Fan Acclaim for Visual and Character Model Enhancements

Following Paradox Interactive's announcement cancelling the highly anticipated Life by You, new screenshots have appeared online, showcasing the game's development. These images, compiled on Twitter (X) by @SimMattically, come from the portfolios of former artists and developers including Richard Kho, Eric Maki, and Chris Lewis, who also shared their work on personal sites. Lewis's GitHub page provides further detail on animation, scripting, lighting, modder tools, shaders, and VFX.

The released images offer a detailed look at Life by You's potential. While fans noted the visuals weren't drastically different from the final trailer, they highlighted noticeable improvements. One comment expressed the collective disappointment of fans who had eagerly awaited the game's release.

The screenshots display diverse and well-coordinated outfits, suggesting a game capable of reflecting various weather conditions and seasons. Character customization appears extensive, with refined sliders and presets. The overall game world exhibits a level of detail and atmosphere exceeding that shown in earlier trailers.

Paradox Interactive's Deputy CEO, Mattias Lilja, explained the cancellation, citing the game's shortcomings in "key areas" and the uncertainty of reaching a satisfactory release within a reasonable timeframe. CEO Fredrik Wester echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the team's dedication but acknowledging the impracticality of further development.

The cancellation surprised many, given the considerable excitement surrounding Life by You's potential to rival EA's The Sims franchise. The abrupt halt in development and the closure of Paradox Tectonic, the studio behind the game, left fans disheartened.