It’s not new news that the much-maligned Cities: Skylines II did not manage to come close to the success of the first game in the series. Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive’s difficult second album was beset by issues from the off, and now, a surprise parting of the ways has been announced after a partnership lasting more than 15 years, but where does that leave Cities fans now?
Well, for starters, a new developer, Iceflake Studios, is being brought on to continue work on the Cities IP while Colossal Order moves on to pastures new – this is huge news in this community as it was CO who were responsible for the mega success of the first game.
Paradox has not been having much fun of late, although the recent release of Europa Universalis V has helped to relieve some of the pressure as it tries to straighten out some of its IPs
“For over fifteen years, the Cities Series and our partnership with Paradox have been a defining part of our journey at Colossal Order. When we set out to create Cities in Motion, we never imagined it would grow to become a cherished franchise with a passionate, loyal community of millions of players around the world. We want to thank everyone at Paradox for their trust and collaboration, and of course the community for the incredible support that has made Cities what it is today. We’re confident that the franchise will continue to thrive under Paradox’s leadership. As we move forward, we’re excited to channel our experience, creativity, and passion into new projects that align with our long-term vision.”
Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order
There is no telling how long this has been in the pipeline for, but with no sign really of Skylines II reaching its potential, despite having made massive improvements, it’s possible tensions were probably running higher than normal behind the scenes. It’s equally possible that mum and dad just grew apart after one argument too many.
“Our partnership with Colossal Order is one of the longest-running relationships we’ve enjoyed here at Paradox. Four games, dozens of expansions, and a community of millions of Cities players; it’s remarkable how much we’ve achieved together. We have deep respect for the Colossal Order team, and we look forward to seeing where they go from here. On our end, we’re eager to continue working for the passionate Cities: Skylines community and make sure to provide them with more content and new experiences.”Mattias Lilja, Deputy CEO of Paradox Interactive
Iceflake Studios, meanwhile, was responsible for 2021’s largely well-received ‘Surviving the Aftermath’, so it will be interesting to see what immediate changes, if any, are planned to drag Skylines II up by the bootstraps.
“Taking the reins on a genre-leading franchise like Cities is an immense honor and a great responsibility. There’s a huge, loyal community out there and I want to say to every member of that community that we will humbly carry this legacy with respect, together with all of you. Iceflake has the capacity and capability to get started. We have a decade of experience in making city-building and management games. We see a strong foundation and so much potential waiting to be unleashed, and I can’t wait to show you what we have planned for the next chapter of this incredible game.” Lasse Liljedahl, Studio Manager of Iceflake Studios
Last Updated On: Nov 17, 2025 3:18 pm CET