Subway Surfers could be the next big game IP heading to the movies – Mobilegamer.biz

4.5bn lifetime downloads, 100-150m MAU, 20m DAU: by the numbers, Subway Surfers is huge. Sybo says it is the most downloaded game of all time, and it’s hard to argue with that claim.

But it is still a little overlooked when industry pundits talk about the cultural impact and popularity of gaming IP. Could a movie or a Netflix show change that? It’s something Sybo is “definitely” exploring, CEO Mathias Gredal Nørvig tells us.

“We’re constantly listening to our players and striving to give them the new iterations of the IP they’re asking for, and we’ve already seen our community’s appetite for longer-form content from the positive reception of Subway Surfers: The Animated Series on YouTube,” he says.

“Given the immense success gaming IP has experienced within traditional entertainment – as we’ve seen with A Minecraft Movie most recently, it’s an exciting space for all game developers to explore right now.”

Subway Surfers is a bit of an anomaly; it continues to rack up monster download figures without much paid UA, says Gredal Nørvig. “We’re lucky that nearly all of Subway Surfers’ downloads are almost entirely organic, which has been the case for all 13 years,” he continues, adding that Sybo’s game team and social team can be credited for that ongoing virality.

“On TikTok, Subway Surfers just surpassed 10 million followers, and our consistent cadence of fresh in-game content and new partnerships, including the recent crossover event we did with Crossy Road, also keeps players engaged,” he continues.

The series has expanded recently too, with puzzlers Subway Surfers Blast and Match. But they are considered “great learning opportunities” for Sybo, rather than huge commercial successes.

“They were fast to market, with considerable synergies and process optimizations internally as a result,” says Gredal Nørvig. “We keep them on the store as examples of IP expansion, but our focus and love remain primarily on runners.”

Sybo will have more to share on Subway Surfers City, another new take on the classic runner formula, later this year. “We’re always thinking about new ways to expand the franchise,” he adds.