Hint: If you have ever jumped over barriers, dodged trains, and tried to get the highest scores, then you have probably played Subway Surfers.The nearly decade-old game has been tried by nearly everyone, regardless of age. However, did anyone stop to think who made it that could hold our phones hostage this long? But just how exactly the game came about is not clear.
The Brains Behind Subway Surfers
Subway Surfers was created by two Danish studios: Kiloo and SYBO Games.
SYBO Games: Founded in 2010 in Copenhagen by Sylvester Rishøj Jensen and Bodie Jahn-Mulliner. Fun fact — the idea came from a short animation film they made as students. That film featured graffiti art and characters running through cityscapes… sound familiar?
Kiloo: A mobile game publisher founded back in 2000, known for bringing mobile-friendly games to the global stage.
The two studios joined forces and they finally released ‘Subway Surfers’ in May 2012. At the time no one could have guessed that this endless runner would be the one to take the market by storm around world.
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Why Subway Surfers Became So Popular
It was not just by luck that Subway Surfers became a hit game.
Easy to Play, Hard to Master – The swipe controls are simple enough for anyone to pick up, but staying alive for long runs requires real skill.
Colorful Graphics – The vibrant, cartoon-style visuals stood out in 2012 when many mobile games still looked basic.
Constant Updates – The “World Tour” updates keep the game fresh by introducing new cities, characters, and hoverboards every few weeks.
Universal Appeal – Subway Surfers doesn’t require heavy hardware, so it runs smoothly on almost any smartphone.
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Who Owns Subway Surfers Now?
Nowadays, SYBO Games remains the primary owner and developer of Subway Surfers. It can be said that at the beginning of the game, Kiloo was an important partner in publishing along with other circles such as EuroGame Center and Gamesha, but since then SYBO has completely assumed control over its brand.
In 2022, a gaming giant named Miniclip acquired SYBO Games, allowing even more resources and opportunities to be lavished on Subway Surfers. Although the exact name of the game remains unknown to this day, due to updates, new events and ongoing global publicity campaigns under this ownership agreement continue without a break–even after over 10 years in charge.
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Final Thoughts
That being so, who made Subway Surfers? It is the fruit of a close cooperative effort conducted by SYBO Games and Kiloo. From a little Danish studio undertaking, to a world gaming phenomenon: Subway Surfers is now not just a game but part of mobile gaming history itself.Not to mention the fact that with billions of downloads and still more pouring in as we speak, Subway Surfers is not about to slow down at any point in the near future. Whichever way you classify yourself – say an occasional player or somebody who does it seriously every day – this pursuit across tracks never will be over.
