Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order have decided to separate, thereby terminating one of the most enduring collaborations in the gaming industry. The two companies announced their decision to separate after collaborating for over a decade. This choice is a big change for the popular city-building series.
We are now passing the development torch for Cities: Skylines II. Paradox has said that Iceflake Studios, its studio, will be in charge of all future development for the game. A new Cities: Skylines II developer will take over the franchise’s future after this change.
The future with a new Cities: Skylines II Developer
The announcement on the Paradox Interactive forum said that the choice was made “thoughtfully and in the interest of both teams,” with the goal of securing the “strongest possible future” for the series. Colossal Order, the studio that has been responsible for the franchise since the beginning, will make a few last changes before handing it over completely.
The last things to do are the “Bike Patch,” which adds bikes to the game, buildings in Old Town, and a beta version of asset support for the Editor before the end of the year. Iceflake Studios will be the new developer for Cities: Skylines II starting in 2026. They will be responsible for all free updates, the long-awaited console versions, and new expansions.
The change comes after a very rough time for the sequel. PC Gamer says that Cities: Skylines II came out in 2023 with a lot of performance problems and missing features, and its reputation has been difficult to get back since then. Eurogamer also reported a delay in the console versions and the absence of a confirmed release date.
Both Colossal Order and Paradox have said they are sure the change will go smoothly. Mariina Hallikainen, the CEO of Colossal Order, said that the studio is “excited to channel our experience, creativity, and passion into new projects.” Lasse Liljedahl, the manager of Iceflake Studios, said that taking over the franchise was a “huge honor and a great responsibility.” He promised the community that the studio would respect the legacy.
This means that players still have a long way to go in Cities: Skylines II. Iceflake Studios, the new developer of Cities: Skylines II, has promised to support the game for years to come. People in the community will be watching closely to see how this new Cities: Skylines II developer changes the next part of their favorite city-building game.
