Kiloo
Danish video-game developer best known internationally for co-developing Subway Surfers.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Kiloo was a Danish video-game development studio founded in Aarhus in 2000 by Jacob Møller. It began as a small two-person operation focused on entertainment software for consoles, handheld systems, and mobile phones, later concentrating heavily on mobile games and applications. Jacob Møller was joined by his brother Simon Møller in 2008, and the brothers subsequently ran the business together until its closure. The company’s early work combined original concepts with licensed entertainment properties. In 2002, Kiloo won the games category of the Nokia Mobile Challenge with Popstar, a game built around managing the career and needs of an aspiring pop musician. It later developed a mobile version of Worms under an agreement with THQ Wireless and worked with ITE on mobile content based on Hugo, the television and game character. By 2004, the Hugo mobile games had reportedly sold one million copies. Kiloo expanded its licensing and publishing activities during the second half of the 2000s. From 2006 to 2009 it held worldwide exclusive mobile rights for the Lego brand, and in 2007 it obtained worldwide rights connected with Whac-a-Mole mobile content. The company was also included in Børsen’s Fast Track 100 in 2007, a ranking of rapidly growing private Danish companies. In 2008, it raised capital from Danish venture investor FirmaInvest to support further growth. Alongside games, Kiloo developed mobile applications and digital products. Its work included Issuu Mobile, a magazine-reader application for iPhone, JokeToons animated video content, and products based on Wham-O properties. The Wham-O relationship produced the Frisbee Forever series, while Kiloo also announced the original Nintendo DSiWare property Zoonies – Escape from Makatu in 2010. Other releases included BulletTime HD and additional licensed or original mobile projects. Kiloo’s defining commercial achievement was Subway Surfers, an endless-running game released in 2012 in cooperation with Copenhagen-based SYBO Games. Initially launched for iOS and subsequently released for Android, the game became a major global mobile hit. It was recognized as AppAdvice’s Game of the Week in May 2012, entered the top 20 fastest-growing Facebook applications by monthly active users after its Android release, passed 500 million downloads across platforms in 2014, and reached one billion downloads in 2015. The title made Kiloo one of the most internationally visible Danish game companies, although the intellectual property and development relationship were shared with SYBO. Kiloo also created a broader group structure. Kiloo Group was formed in 2013 by bringing together Manatee, Katoni, and GivingTales. Manatee focused on application development and worked with customers including McDonald’s Denmark. Katoni operated fashion-shopping portals beginning with Katoni.dk in 2014 and later expanding to Norway and Finland. GivingTales, developed with evershift, produced interactive versions of Hans Christian Andersen stories for children, using narration by well-known actors and entertainers. Kiloo stopped working on Subway Surfers in early 2020. The company ultimately laid off its staff and closed in 2023. As a result, Kiloo is now a defunct studio, while Subway Surfers continues to be associated primarily with SYBO and its ongoing operation of the game.
History
Kiloo was established in 2000 in a small apartment in Aarhus, Denmark, by Jacob Møller. The original business was a two-person studio intended to create entertainment content for game consoles and handheld devices. In 2002, the original partnership dissolved and Kiloo became a private company. That year, the studio won the games category of the Nokia Mobile Challenge against roughly 500 competing companies with Popstar, a Tamagotchi-inspired management game about an aspiring pop musician. The company subsequently developed and distributed mobile content for established entertainment properties. It entered an agreement with THQ Wireless to create a mobile version of Worms and cooperated with ITE on games based on Hugo. The Hugo products had sold one million copies by 2004, demonstrating Kiloo’s ability to translate recognizable characters into mobile formats. Kiloo entered a period of licensing expansion in the mid-2000s. It held worldwide exclusive mobile rights for Lego from 2006 through 2009 and acquired worldwide rights associated with Whac-a-Mole in 2007. Also in 2007, the company appeared in Børsen’s Fast Track 100, which recognized rapidly growing private companies in Denmark. In 2008, Danish venture-capital firm FirmaInvest provided capital for expansion. Simon Møller joined his brother Jacob in the business in 2008, and the two brothers managed Kiloo together thereafter. During the late 2000s, Kiloo broadened its activity beyond conventional game development. It worked on iPhone applications such as Issuu Mobile, a magazine reader, and JokeToons, an animated-video product. It also developed mobile content connected with Wham-O brands, including Hacky Sack, SuperBall, Frisbee, and Hula Hoop. The Wham-O relationship led to Frisbee Forever and Frisbee Forever 2. In 2010, Kiloo announced Zoonies – Escape from Makatu, an original property for Nintendo DSiWare supported by New Danish Screen. BulletTime HD and other mobile projects followed. The studio’s most important turning point came in 2012 with Subway Surfers, created in cooperation with SYBO Games. The game used an endless-running format and was first released for iOS before reaching Android later that year. Its accessible free-to-play structure and frequent international settings helped it achieve exceptional global distribution. It was selected as AppAdvice’s Game of the Week on 31 May 2012, entered the top 20 growing Facebook applications by monthly active users after its Android launch, passed 500 million downloads by July 2014, and reached one billion downloads in September 2015. Kiloo expanded its corporate activities through Kiloo Group, established in 2013 by integrating Manatee, Katoni, and GivingTales. Manatee developed applications for clients including McDonald’s Denmark. Katoni created fashion-shopping portals, launching Katoni.dk in 2014 and expanding to Norway in 2016 and Finland in 2017. GivingTales was formed with evershift to create interactive children’s applications based on Hans Christian Andersen stories. The project launched in 2015 on major mobile platforms and used narration by actors and public figures. Kiloo’s active role in Subway Surfers ended in early 2020. The company later dismissed its staff and closed in June 2023. Kiloo therefore remains historically significant in mobile games, particularly for its role in the creation and early international growth of Subway Surfers, but it no longer operates as an active studio.
- 2023
Kiloo closes
[1]After laying off its staff, Kiloo closes its operations in June.
- 2020
Kiloo ends its Subway Surfers work
[1]Kiloo stops working on Subway Surfers in early 2020.
- 2015
Subway Surfers reaches one billion downloads
[1]Subway Surfers reaches one billion downloads, becoming Kiloo’s defining international success.
- 2014
Subway Surfers passes 500 million downloads
[1]The cooperative game exceeds 500 million downloads across platforms.
- 2013
Kiloo Group is formed
[1]Kiloo Group integrates Manatee, Katoni, and GivingTales into a broader group structure.
- 2012
Subway Surfers launches
[1]Kiloo and SYBO release Subway Surfers, initially for iOS and later for Android.
- 2010
Zoonies is announced for Nintendo DSiWare
[1]Kiloo announces Zoonies – Escape from Makatu, an original game supported by New Danish Screen.
- 2008
Simon Møller joins the company
[1]Simon Møller joins Jacob Møller in running Kiloo, while the company also raises growth capital from FirmaInvest.
- 2007
Fast Track 100 recognition and Whac-a-Mole rights
[1]Kiloo appears in Børsen’s Fast Track 100 and acquires worldwide rights connected with Whac-a-Mole mobile content.
- 2006
Lego mobile-rights period begins
[1]Kiloo holds exclusive worldwide mobile rights for Lego, a licensing arrangement that runs through 2009.
Products and positioning
A Danish developer and digital-entertainment company that combined licensed mobile content, original game concepts, branded applications, and international mobile publishing. Its global reputation was established by the cooperative development of Subway Surfers.
Mobile endless-running game · 2012
Subway Surfers
Kiloo’s best-known title, developed in cooperation with SYBO Games and released in 2012. The free-to-play endless runner places players in a stylized urban environment where they evade obstacles, collect items, and move continuously through changing locations. It launched on iOS and later Android, becoming one of the most widely downloaded mobile games of its era. Kiloo worked on the title until early 2020.
Licensed mobile game · 2011
Frisbee Forever
A mobile game developed from Wham-O’s Frisbee property after Kiloo obtained mobile rights to a portfolio including Frisbee, Hacky Sack, SuperBall, and Hula Hoop. The game formed part of Kiloo’s effort to convert familiar physical-play brands into downloadable mobile entertainment.
Licensed mobile game · 2012
Frisbee Forever 2
The follow-up to Frisbee Forever, continuing Kiloo’s mobile interpretation of the Wham-O Frisbee brand. It was released during the company’s expansion of licensed and original mobile games around the period of Subway Surfers.
Nintendo DSiWare game · 2010
Zoonies – Escape from Makatu
An original Kiloo intellectual property announced for Nintendo DSiWare in 2010. The project received support from New Danish Screen and represented the studio’s continuing interest in creating original entertainment properties alongside licensed games.
Children’s storytelling application · 2015
GivingTales
A cooperation between Kiloo and evershift that adapted Hans Christian Andersen stories into narrated digital experiences for children. The application included stories such as The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, and The Nightingale, and was released for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 8 in 2015.
Mobile game · 2011
BulletTime HD
A Kiloo mobile game released during the studio’s early-2010s period of expanding its portfolio beyond licensed properties and into original digital entertainment.
Mobile management game · 2002
Popstar
An early Kiloo game inspired by the care-and-management structure associated with Tamagotchi. Players managed the career and basic needs of an emerging pop-music star. The title won the games category of the 2002 Nokia Mobile Challenge.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012McDonald’s Coinoffers
Denmark
Kiloo’s Manatee unit developed the McDonald’s Coinoffers application in cooperation with DDB Copenhagen. The mobile-led campaign connected McDonald’s Denmark with digital offers and received recognition at the Danish Creative Circle Awards and Cannes Lions.
Outcome. The campaign won gold and silver in several Danish Creative Circle categories and two Bronze Lions at Cannes Lions, including awards for integrated mobile-led and integrated-media execution.
Brand decisions
2020
Withdrawal from Subway Surfers developmentStrategyBackground
After the game’s exceptional international growth, Kiloo’s active development relationship with the title came to an end.
Action taken
Kiloo stopped working on Subway Surfers in early 2020.
Aftermath
The studio subsequently continued for a limited period before closing in 2023.
2013
Formation of Kiloo GroupStrategyBackground
Kiloo sought to organize a wider portfolio of digital businesses beyond its core game-development operation.
Action taken
The company integrated Manatee, Katoni, and GivingTales into Kiloo Group.
Aftermath
The group operated across application development, online shopping portals, and children’s digital storytelling.
2012
Launch of Subway SurfersProduct launchBackground
Kiloo was expanding from licensed mobile products and smaller original games into globally scalable smartphone entertainment.
Action taken
Kiloo co-developed and released Subway Surfers with SYBO Games, first for iOS and later for Android.
Aftermath
The title became a major global mobile hit, surpassing 500 million downloads in 2014 and one billion in 2015.
Recent events
- 2023
Kiloo closes after laying off staff[1]
Bankruptcy · Leadership change
Kiloo laid off its employees and closed its operations in June 2023, ending the company’s period as an active game developer.
- 2020
Kiloo stops working on Subway Surfers[1]
Other
Kiloo ended its work on Subway Surfers in early 2020, ending its active development involvement in the studio’s best-known game.
- 2015
Subway Surfers reaches one billion downloads[1]
Product generation · Other
The mobile endless-running game developed by Kiloo and SYBO reached one billion downloads, marking the title’s emergence as one of the most widely distributed mobile games of its period.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/kiloo · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled