Paradox Interactive, the publisher behind Prison Architect 2, faced a setback as they announced yet another delay for the highly anticipated sequel. Originally slated for release on May 7, the game’s launch has been pushed back to September 3. This delay follows a previous postponement from March 26.
The developers at Double Eleven encountered technical challenges despite having certified builds for all platforms. Issues related to memory usage and failures to meet minimum spec configurations emerged, leading to unexpected crashes. While progress has been made in addressing these issues, new technical hurdles arose, necessitating additional development time.
During the extended period, Double Eleven aims to enhance the stability of the prison management simulation and refine its features. Paradox Interactive plans to provide insight into the development process through additional developer diaries and streams, with a stream scheduled for April 25.
The delay also impacts pre-order customers, particularly on consoles, who will receive automatic refunds in accordance with platform policies. They will need to repurchase Prison Architect 2 to obtain the pre-order bonus. Steam players have the option to request refunds if desired.
This setback for Paradox comes on the heels of another issue with Cities Skylines 2, a game they also publish. Studio Colossal Order recently announced refunds for players who purchased the first asset pack due to concerns over its perceived value. Additionally, Colossal Order faces optimization challenges and delays in the console release and other DLC for Cities Skylines 2 as they prioritize addressing core issues.