The Cities: Skylines franchise, previously under the stewardship of Colossal Order, is changing hands; Iceflake Studio will be taking the wheel moving forward.

Paradox Interactive announced this transition on the 17th (local time) via the Cities: Skylines 2 official forum. It is a mutually agreed-upon move, and from early 2026, the Paradox-owned Iceflake Studio will officially take charge of the franchise.

Iceflake Studio is already well-versed in the realm of building sims under the Paradox umbrella. They specialize in management and city-building games and are currently busy dissecting the core architecture of Cities: Skylines 2. Going forward, they will handle everything from existing maintenance to future content development, including free updates, the long-awaited console release, and upcoming expansion packs.

Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen reflected on the journey: "Our partnership with Paradox and the Cities series has defined us for over 15 years. When we started, we never imagined it would grow into a global phenomenon. We are deeply grateful for the community that shaped us, and we are now looking forward to pouring our passion into new projects."

Paradox Interactive Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja added: "Our collaboration with Colossal Order is the longest in our history. We hold their team in the highest regard, and we remain fully committed to the Cities: Skylines community by delivering fresh content and new experiences."

Lasse Liljedahl, Studio Manager at Iceflake, sounded both honoured and cautious: "Taking over a genre-defining franchise like Cities comes with a great sense of responsibility. We respect the massive community built around this game and approach it with humility." He added, "With over a decade of experience in management sims, we see endless potential here, and we can’t wait to show you what’s in the next chapter."