Veteran Developer Rod Humble Envisions a Private, Player-Centric Metaverse

Rod Humble, a renowned game developer with a background in The Sims and Second Life, is embarking on a new venture with his studio Paradox Tectonic. His latest game, Life By You, marks a return to his roots in life simulation, with a focus on open-world exploration and player customization. In a conversation with GamesIndustry.biz, Humble outlined his design philosophy, which emphasizes empowering players and providing them with the tools to create their own unique experiences. He believes that the future of the metaverse lies in private, player-first spaces, where users have complete control over their interactions and creations. Life By You is designed to be a single-player game, with no forced online component, and players will have the freedom to mod the game to suit their preferences. Humble's vision for the game is to create a fully featured life simulator that allows players to craft their own stories, characters, and worlds. The game will feature a range of customization options, including sliders for skin tone, age, and sexual orientation, and players will be able to import mods to further tailor their experience. While the game will have some moderation in place, Humble is committed to preserving player privacy and creative freedom. With Life By You set to debut in Early Access on September 12, Humble hopes to establish a new standard for life simulators and provide a platform for players to express themselves and showcase their creativity.