Cities: Skylines Hands the Reins to a New Developer as Iceflake Studios Takes Over

After years of steady collaboration between Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order, the Cities: Skylines series is heading into a different chapter. Paradox confirmed that Iceflake Studios, one of its internal teams, will now lead development on Cities: Skylines II and the franchise moving forward. The decision wasn’t leaked or teased beforehand it arrived with a level of finality that surprised a lot of long-time fans.

Colossal Order isn’t disappearing overnight. The Finnish studio, which built the original game and spent more than a decade refining its formula, will continue supporting Cities: Skylines II until the end of 2025. That includes a few long-promised patches, some visual updates for older-style buildings, and further work on the in-game Editor. After that, Iceflake will be the one setting the direction.

A Change Years in the Making

The past two years have been rough for Cities: Skylines II, from its shaky launch to the delays that left console players waiting far longer than expected. Paradox and Colossal Order framed the studio shift as a collaborative decision, and both sides insist there’s no drama behind the scenes. Still, the timing makes it hard not to see the move as an attempt to reboot momentum around the game.

Iceflake is best known for Surviving the Aftermath, a colony sim that mixed city-building with survival elements. They’ve been under Paradox’s wing since 2020, which means they’re familiar with the publisher’s tech stack and its expectations. Unlike an outside contractor, Iceflake has already been working closely with Paradox on other projects, so the handover won’t be coming out of nowhere.

What Changes Now?

When Iceflake fully steps in next year, their responsibilities will include everything from ongoing patches to larger gameplay adjustments, future expansions, and perhaps most importantly the console versions that still haven’t materialized. Paradox has been clear that Iceflake will inherit all future production for the franchise, not just maintenance.

Colossal Order, meanwhile, hinted that they’re looking at “new creative opportunities,” though they didn’t elaborate. Considering how closely the studio’s reputation is tied to Cities: Skylines, it’ll be interesting to see where they land next.

What Fans Are Hoping For

Reactions across the community have ranged from cautious optimism to outright relief. Plenty of players are still enjoying Skylines II, but performance problems, incomplete features, and the long wait for console updates have weighed heavily on its reputation. With a new team stepping in, many fans simply want to see the game reach the level of polish they expected at launch.

Iceflake, for its part, seems aware of the pressure. Their studio head described the handoff as both “an honour” and “a responsibility,” acknowledging the enormous expectations tied to one of PC gaming’s biggest city-building brands.

A Soft Reset, Not a Hard Break

This isn’t a franchise reboot, and it’s not the end for Colossal Order either. But it is the most meaningful shift Cities: Skylines has seen since the first game took off a decade ago. The series has always relied on steady iteration and long-term support. Now, that same philosophy is being handed to a different team one that’s stepping into a project already shaped by years of community feedback and a lively mod scene.

Whether Iceflake can steer Skylines II into calmer waters is something players won’t know for a while. But one thing’s clear: Paradox wants the franchise to keep growing, and shifting developers is their way of betting on a fresh start without starting from scratch.