Back after two decades, city builder Industry Giant 4.0's dream suddenly dies as dev confirms 1.0 update is its last

Industry Giant 4.0 was meant to be a grand return for a classic name in PC gaming history. The original pair of games, from Jowood Productions, harken back to the late '90s and early noughties, an era that brought us many of the best city builders and management sims - SimCity 3000, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Pharaoh, Tropico, Stronghold, and more. But this modern attempt to resurrect the Industry Giant name has now fallen short, as developer Don Vs Dodo and publisher Toplitz Productions suddenly confirm that the game's 1.0 launch will be its final update.

Industry Giant 4.0 launched into early access back in November 2024, and the team had some grand plans on its roadmap. Over the past year, those were gradually rolled out into the strategy game. It was given a terrain-manipulation tool to shape the landscape, production chain facilities to assist resource management, improved logistics, and tutorials to introduce new players to its core systems. Things were shaping up for a big 1.0 launch, but it now appears to be more of a nail in the coffin.

"As we reach this milestone, we must share that there will be no further major updates or new features in the foreseeable future," the developer writes. The game will remain available and playable, and the studio says it will "continue to fix any serious issues that may arise." However, that means previously planned inclusions such as multiplayer, which was part of an early roadmap, will now not be forthcoming.

"This decision was not made lightly and we wish we would have more positive news to share about the future of the game," the statement continues. "We know how much this project means to many of you - and it means just as much to us. Though our development journey is coming to an end, we're proud of what we've built together: a heartfelt, modern tribute to a series that inspired so many."

Industry Giant 4.0 never found a large audience - tracking site SteamDB clocks its all-time peak players at just 587 - but many of those who bought it are now leaving negative reviews. Several bemoan the lack of multiplayer, while others claim it simply isn't in a suitable state to be pulled out of early access.

"The game is unfinished, runs badly, and [is] dull," writes one, while another adds, "Even the 1.0 is so effortless. There are so many small things they could have done and added with little effort. They didn't. Just go back to IG2 or try other games."

If you'd rather give something else a go, we've picked out more of the best management games on PC, along with the best simulation games.

Did you buy Industry Giant 4.0? Stop by the PCGamesN community Discord and let us know how you feel about the decision to call time on its development.