Paradox Tectonic·Cancelled mid-EA in 2024·Updated 2026
The verdict
If you were waiting on Life by You, Paralives is the closest surviving alternative on Steam today.
Current statusAs of August 2026, Life by You is gone for good: Paradox cancelled it mid-early-access in 2024, and it is no longer purchasable or playable. If you were waiting on it, Paralives is the surviving alternative.
Where Paralives wins
- Actively shipping vs. cancelled
- Hand-painted art has a distinct identity
- Smaller scope already feels feature-complete in build mode
Where Life by You wins
- (none, no longer available)
Paralives vs Life by You, feature by feature
Read each row left to right. The tinted cell is the side that wins that round.
| Feature | Paralives | Life by You |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Actively shipping on Steam | Cancelled mid-early-access |
| Active development | Ongoing patches and roadmap | Shut down in 2024 |
| Modding ambition | Built-in Steam Workshop | Promised deep Python scripting |
| World design | Open neighbourhood, hand-painted | Planned fully open world |
| Conversation system | Curated interactions | Promised editable dialogue |
| Art identity | Distinct hand-painted look | Realistic but generic |
Paralives winsLife by You winsClose / preference
Paralives vs Life by You: FAQ
- Is Life by You cancelled?
- Yes. Paradox Tectonic shut the project down during early access in 2024, before a full release. It is no longer purchasable or playable.
- Is Paralives a replacement for Life by You?
- It's the closest one that is actually shipping. Paralives shares the open-neighbourhood, single-player, sandbox spirit Life by You aimed for, and it is available on Steam today instead of cancelled.
- What happened to Paradox's life sim?
- Paradox cited quality and market-fit concerns and cancelled Life by You during early access, then wound down the studio. For fans, Paralives is now the main indie life sim still in active development.
- Can I still buy or play Life by You?
- No. Paradox cancelled the project in mid-2024, delisted it, and it is no longer purchasable or playable — even for existing owners.
- What should former Life by You players play instead?
- Paralives is the closest surviving life sim on Steam for that audience — the same everyday-life ambition, now in active Early Access. The Sims 4 remains the content-rich alternative.