After being postponed 2 times in the last year, the upcoming management game Prison Architect2 hit another bump. The original developer, Double Eleven, has left the project after failing to reach a commercial agreement with publisher Paradox Interactive. 

"After nine years together, Double Eleven has left the prison architect. Double Eleven has been with us since the console port, leading the development of games on all platforms and working on Prison Architect2 over the last few years. With the sequel passing certification on all platforms, the contract was fulfilled. However, we have not been able to find a commercial agreement in which both parties have moved forward and mutually partially agreed," Paradox Interactive's current Prison Architects 2 team said in a statement on the Steam page.

The new developer working on Prison Architect2 is a Brazilian joint development company that has previously done 3D artwork for weapons and robots for Horizon Forbidden West, porting GOLF Club Wasteland to PS4, PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. 

"After talking to multiple studios, it turned out that Kokku is a veteran of the gaming industry and also a long-time fan of Prison Architect, so it's perfect for upcoming games," the team says. 

Even though this news appears to have come out of nowhere, this is not a sudden decision. In fact, Kokku has been working with Double Eleven since the fall of 2023. "This transition has been a smooth experience for all of us, as we share the long-term vision of Prison Architect2," the team says. "We want to build the future of the game with you, players."

Double Eleven shared a heartfelt farewell to fans who have followed the progress of the last 9 years with Prison Architect: "The announcement that Prison Architect2's work is coming to an end is mixed emotions," Double Eleven said in a Twitter post. "This decision is seen as a paradox, and Double Eleven has not been able to find a commercial contract that works for everyone to support the game beyond its launch. So, with mutual appreciation for that paradox, found a new partner.

While some prospective players wish their best luck in finishing Kokku's job as Prison Architect 2, others see this as a more ominous sign. "This is putting a dark cloud over this title for me.One player says in response to a tweet of the prison architect. "I was so excited to play it, but now I feel cautious."

The complex development of Prison Architect2 has also been exacerbated by the less-than-ideal launch of Cities: Skylines2, one of Paradox's other games. The shaky launch, plagued by performance issues and the disappointing DLC that followed, pretty much exhausted many players who were once avid fans of the game. It's no secret that Paradox hasn't had a great run until late, but here's how Prison Architect2 broke this cycle despite all its development problems