Paradox Interactive is parting ways with Colossal Order, the developers behind the Cities franchise, and tasking another franchise with the development of the franchise, including Cities: Skylines 2.
Paradox and Colossal Order are going in different directions in what Paradox called a mutual decision that protects the interests of both groups.
The development of the franchise is going to Iceflake Studios, a developer under Paradox Interactive’s internal game studios. Iceflake Studios has developed games such as Surviving the Aftermath and Ice Lakes.
Iceflake Studios will be taking over the development of Cities: Skylines 2 at the beginning of 2026. In the meantime, Colossal Order will release a few updates before leaving for good. These updates include the Bike Patch on November 19, several Creator Packs on December 3, and other improvements and bug fixes.
Before Iceflake Studios takes the reins, players will be able to access a beta implementation of the asset support for the sim’s Editor. This means modders will get access to Asset Mods.
Colossal Order has been the developer of the Cities games since the first one, Cities in Motion, was released back in 2011. Now, the group is ready to explore other creative ideas.
Colossal Order’s CEO Mariina Hallikainen shared a statement about the split:
“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.”
Paradox Interactive Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja also spoke about the partnership with Colossal Order and the future of the Cities franchise:
“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.”
Last but not least, Iceflake Studio had comments for fans as it takes over the highly beloved franchise:
“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 worth of experience from 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.”
An FAQ about the transition and what it means for the Cities franchise can be found here. Some of the answers reveal that there’s no plans to delay the console release, which Iceflake will be finishing, and that the main designs and focus for Cities: Skylines 2 won’t be changed.
Cities: Skylines 2 has had a lot of content released recently, including the Bridges & Ports expansion and the free Netherlands Region Pack.
