Paralives Early Access Launches December 8 on Steam
I’ve been playing life sims for as long as I can remember. Like many others, I grew up with The Sims - building dream homes, making chaos, and storytelling in pixel form. It’s always been one of my comfort genres. So when I first heard about Paralives, I was curious. When I saw the devs were making it with no paid DLCs, flexible build tools, and actual personality depth? I was all in.
And now, after years of waiting, Paralives is finally coming to Steam in Early Access on December 8, 2025. I can’t believe it’s happening.
In this post, I’ll walk through everything you need to know if you're thinking about trying it too - what’s in the Early Access launch, what still needs work, how much it costs, and why this one feels different.
What Is Paralives?
If you haven’t followed the dev updates, Paralives is an indie life sim. You create people - called Parafolks - build their homes, and live their lives in an open-world town. The game puts creativity and freedom front and center. You can build at any angle, color anything, and shape your Parafolks in ways that feel more expressive and natural than a lot of games I’ve played.
It’s being built by a small, passionate team, and it’s got that handmade energy. You can tell it’s made by life sim fans, for life sim fans.
Paralives Release Date: December 8, 2025
On June 8, the devs announced the big news - Paralives hits Steam Early Access on December 8, 2025. They dropped the trailer during the PC Gaming Show and posted the full announcement on their Patreon, which is where they’ve shared most updates over the years.
Early Access means it won’t be the full 1.0 game just yet. Some features are still in the works, and bugs are to be expected. But the foundation will be there, and more content will be added over time. For me, that’s part of the appeal - getting to be part of a game’s growth and giving feedback that actually matters.
Paralives Price and Updates
Paralives will cost $39.99 USD at launch. When the full version is ready later on, the price will go up. So if you’re planning to play anyway, buying during Early Access saves you a bit.
One thing I really appreciate is that all updates and expansions will be 100% free. No microtransactions. No premium packs. Just the base game and regular free updates.
What You’ll Get on Day One
There’s already a solid chunk of content planned for the Early Access launch. Here are some of the things I’m most looking forward to:
- Open world town (no loading screens between lots)
- Day-night cycle and rabbit hole jobs
- Skills, needs, emotions, and wants
- Relationship development and group actions
- Aging, death, having children
- Shops, restaurants, house fires, bills
- Cooking system and modding tools
There’s also a super flexible Build Mode, where you can:
- Use curved walls and build at any angle
- Resize and rotate objects
- Place walls with or without grids
- Use a color wheel for everything
- Build split levels and multi-story homes
And then there’s Paramaker, the character creator, which lets you:
- Use sliders for body, height, and face
- Add tattoos and mix clothing layers
- Customize asymmetry (like different colored eyes)
- Edit genetics and personalities
What’s Still in Progress
Not everything will be ready on day one. The team has already shared a list of features planned for future updates, including:
- Pets (dogs, cats, horses)
- Cars, bikes, and boats
- Swimming and pools
- Story progression for NPCs
- Gardening and fishing
- Family tree and calendar
- Town-building tools
- More traits, jobs, and social features
Honestly, that’s fine with me. I’d rather get a stable core and grow with the game than have it all dropped at once and rushed.
A New Look and Logo
To go with the release announcement, Paralives also got a brand new logo and key art. It’s hand-drawn, colorful, and has the same cozy energy the game gives off.
Changes to Patreon
I’ve been following the game through Patreon for a while, and if you’ve been thinking of joining, now’s your last real chance. Once Paralives launches in December, they’ll stop accepting new pledge rewards and won’t be offering early access perks anymore.
If you want exclusive things like your name in the game or a signed poster, you have until July 31, 2025 to get in on that. After that, Patreon will stay up just for updates - not for rewards or funding.
Why I’m So Excited for This
InZOI dropped earlier this year, and now Paralives is on the way - it’s so good to see more life sims showing up in the world.
As someone who’s been part of the Sims community for years, I’ve always loved this genre. There’s something magical about shaping lives, building homes, and telling stories your own way. Paralives brings its own vibe to the table, with new tools and a fresh perspective. It’s exciting to see more creators exploring what life sims can be, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how this one grows.
Final Thoughts
Paralives launches in Early Access on December 8, 2025. If you’re a life sim fan - or just someone who loves building, storytelling, or shaping tiny digital lives - this one’s worth checking out.
There’s a solid feature set already, more on the way, and a team that seems genuinely open to feedback. I’ll be jumping in on day one. Probably building cozy cute homes and starting a family immediately.
See you in town.
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