Paradox Interactive has officially announced the first major project of spin-off studio Paradox Tectonic: a life simulator known as Life by You. The game was unveiled during the Paradox Announcement Show 2023, and while the initial teaser is brief, it provides plenty to pore over.
It appears players will spend their time in Life by You building their dream home, fostering relationships amongst digital households, and even visiting open locales like the beach. Notably, the trailer opened on a road populated by cars and buses – indicating players will also be able to roam freely around cities, and explore as far as they like.
Update: The Sims rival ‘Life by You’ gets early access launch in September 2023
This feels like a rather pointed nod towards rival life simulator The Sims 4, where cars are non-functional objects and serve no real purpose, although it could also be a simple indicator of what Life by You players can expect.
You can check out the initial teaser below:
While there have been countless rivals to The Sims over the years, with many quickly falling by the wayside as the franchise exerted its impressive dominance, there is reason to believe Life by You will be different.
Paradox has a strong pedigree in the games industry, and is responsible for publishing a number of excellent life simulator-adjacent games – including Cities: Skylines (which essentially took the city simulating crown from Sim City) and Crusader Kings. More importantly, the game is being developed by Rod Humble, who previously worked on The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 as Head of The Sims. It’s his expertise in the life simulator genre which has likely inspired Paradox to explore opportunities in the space.
For now, not much is known about the scope of Life by You, but Paradox has promised a deeper dive in future. We’ll learn more about the upcoming game on 20 March 2023, when this initial teaser is expanded into a fully-fledged reveal. Stay tuned for more on this intriguing new entry in the life simulator genre.
Elsewhere in the Paradox Announcement Show 2023, the published announced Cities: Skylines 2 from Colossal Order, as well as a new game from Harebrained Schemes – a 1930s tactical RPG called The Lamplighters League.
