SYBO

SYBO is a Danish video-game studio headquartered in Copenhagen. The company was founded in 2010 by Sylvester Rishøj Jensen and Bodie Jahn-Mulliner, who met through Denmark's Animation Workshop. Its origins trace back to an award-winning animated short about a graffiti artist escaping a railway guard and dog. That concept became the creative foundation for Subway Surfers, the endless-runner game that established SYBO as one of the most visible independent mobile-game developers. SYBO co-developed Subway Surfers with the Danish studio Kiloo. The game launched in 2012 as a free-to-play title for iOS and later Android, combining lane-based running, obstacle avoidance, collectible coins, character customization, temporary power-ups, and regularly refreshed city-themed content. Its accessible controls and bright animated visual style helped it spread rapidly across international markets. Within its first week it had reached approximately three million downloads, and it subsequently became one of the defining successes of the mobile endless-runner category. It reached 100 million downloads within eight months of its initial release and became the first Android game reported to pass one billion Google Play downloads, a milestone reached in 2018. Later reporting described the franchise as having accumulated billions of downloads and more than 100 million monthly active users. The Subway Surfers intellectual property expanded beyond the core game. SYBO launched Subway Surfers: The Animated Series in 2018, using the game's principal characters—including Jake, Tricky, Fresh, and Yutani—in short-form episodes distributed through SYBO's online video channels. The studio also created Subway Surfers Airtime for Snapchat in 2019, a multiplayer racing experience that adapted the franchise's characters and movement mechanics to social play. SYBO's other principal game is Blades of Brim, released in 2015. It is a fantasy-themed free-to-play endless runner in which players fight enemies, collect equipment, and defend the world of Brim. The game uses a more combat-oriented structure than Subway Surfers while retaining the studio's emphasis on continuous movement, short sessions, character progression, and in-app purchases. Before Subway Surfers, SYBO developed smaller applications including Powerflow and Cosmic Cab. The studio has also pursued environmental initiatives. In 2019 it joined Playing for the Planet, a United Nations Environment Programme-backed industry alliance focused on reducing emissions, improving energy use, increasing environmental awareness through games, and supporting more sustainable production practices. SYBO has described measures including solar panels at its office, a largely vegetarian and organic canteen, and investments in renewable-energy and waste-management projects. In June 2022, Miniclip agreed to acquire SYBO in a transaction whose financial terms were not publicly disclosed. SYBO continues to operate as a game-development business within the Miniclip group, maintaining and extending Subway Surfers while developing additional mobile entertainment and franchise content.

SYBO's roots lie in animation rather than conventional game publishing. Founders Sylvester Rishøj Jensen and Bodie Jahn-Mulliner met at Denmark's Animation Workshop. Their collaboration gained attention after an animated short about a graffiti artist being chased through a subway environment won first prize at the Hamburg Animation Award in 2009. The visual premise later became the basis for Subway Surfers. SYBO was established in Copenhagen in 2010. With support from the Danish Film Institute's New Danish Screen initiative, the founders developed the game concept into a commercial mobile title. Before the flagship launch, the studio produced smaller applications including Powerflow and Cosmic Cab. Subway Surfers was co-developed with Kiloo and released for iOS in 2012, followed by an Android version several months later. The game's early performance was unusually strong. It reached about three million downloads during its first week, became a leading download in numerous countries, and reached 100 million downloads within eight months. Its continuing free-to-play model, frequent content updates, international location themes, and recognizable characters allowed it to remain commercially relevant beyond the normal life cycle of a mobile hit. By 2017 it was described as the world's most downloaded game, and in March 2018 it became the first Android game to pass one billion Google Play downloads. SYBO extended the property through audiovisual and social formats. The Subway Surfers animated series premiered online in June 2018 and followed Jake, Tricky, Fresh, and Yutani in short episodes. The studio also introduced Subway Surfers Airtime on Snapchat in late 2019, giving players a multiplayer race format built around the same fictional world. These projects positioned SYBO as an intellectual-property company as well as a game developer. In 2015, SYBO released Blades of Brim, a fantasy endless runner with combat and collectible equipment. It provided a second mobile property while preserving the studio's core expertise in free-to-play running games. Blades of Brim was later recognized as an Apple App Store Editors' Choice title. The company joined Playing for the Planet in September 2019. Its stated sustainability efforts included office solar panels, an organic and largely vegetarian canteen, and investments connected with solar power in India and waste management in Chile. In June 2022, Miniclip agreed to acquire SYBO in a deal with undisclosed terms. The acquisition placed the Copenhagen studio within Miniclip's wider games portfolio while leaving SYBO associated primarily with ongoing development of the Subway Surfers universe.

• 2022

  Miniclip agrees to acquire SYBO

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  Miniclip announces an agreement to purchase the Copenhagen studio in an undisclosed transaction.

• 2019

  SYBO joins Playing for the Planet

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  The company joins an international games-industry sustainability alliance.

• 2018

  Subway Surfers passes one billion Google Play downloads

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  The game becomes the first Android mobile game reported to exceed one billion Google Play downloads.

• 2018

  Animated series premieres

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  SYBO launches short-form Subway Surfers animated episodes online.

• 2015

  Blades of Brim launches

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  SYBO releases a fantasy combat-oriented endless runner as its second major mobile game.

• 2012

  Subway Surfers launches

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  The studio's breakthrough endless runner is released for iOS and later expanded to Android.

• 2010

  SYBO is founded

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  Sylvester Rishøj Jensen and Bodie Jahn-Mulliner establish SYBO Games in Copenhagen.

• 2009

  Founders win an animation award

  [1]SYBOen.wikipedia.org

  A short film featuring a graffiti character escaping a subway guard and dog wins first prize at the Hamburg Animation Award, providing the creative seed for Subway Surfers.

A character-led mobile entertainment studio focused on globally accessible, free-to-play games, live content updates, and the expansion of game properties into social and animated media.

• Mobile endless runner · 2012

  Subway Surfers

  SYBO's signature free-to-play endless runner, co-developed with Kiloo. Players guide graffiti-themed characters along railway tracks, avoiding obstacles, collecting coins, using power-ups, and unlocking characters and cosmetic items. Its regularly updated city-tour format and broad international accessibility made it one of the most successful mobile games ever released.

• Fantasy mobile endless runner · 2015

  Blades of Brim

  A free-to-play runner set in the fantasy world of Brim. In addition to continuous movement, players fight enemies, gather equipment, use magical creatures, and progress through a combat-focused adventure structure. The game was released in 2015 and later received Apple App Store Editors' Choice recognition.

• Animated short-form series · 2018

  Subway Surfers: The Animated Series

  An online animated expansion of the Subway Surfers universe. The short episodes follow Jake, Tricky, Fresh, and Yutani and introduce recurring threats including the Guard, Dog, and Frank. The series was distributed through SYBO's online video presence and helped turn the game property into broader character entertainment.

• Social multiplayer mobile game · 2019

  Subway Surfers Airtime

  A Snapchat game that adapted Subway Surfers into a competitive multiplayer race. Players challenge friends, control familiar characters, collect coins, and use timing-based movement to reach the finish first.

• 2019Playing for the Planet

  Global

  SYBO joined the Playing for the Planet alliance and supported commitments relating to emissions reduction, renewable energy, environmental awareness, and more sustainable game production.

  Outcome. The company reported operational initiatives including solar panels, a largely vegetarian canteen, and sustainability-related investments.

  Source

• 2022

  Miniclip acquisition agreementM&A

  Background

  SYBO had become an established mobile-game and intellectual-property studio centered on Subway Surfers.

  Action taken

  Miniclip agreed to acquire the company.

  Aftermath

  SYBO became part of the Miniclip group. The transaction's financial terms were not disclosed.

  Source

• 2015

  Release of Blades of BrimProduct launch

  Background

  SYBO sought to build a second property around its expertise in endless-runner design.

  Action taken

  The studio launched a fantasy runner combining continuous movement with combat, equipment, and magical creatures.

  Aftermath

  The game expanded SYBO's portfolio beyond Subway Surfers and received later App Store editorial recognition.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch of Subway SurfersProduct launch

  Background

  SYBO's award-winning animated-short concept was developed into a commercial mobile game with Kiloo.

  Action taken

  The studio released a free-to-play endless runner for iOS and subsequently Android, using in-app purchases and ongoing content updates.

  Aftermath

  The title became SYBO's defining franchise and one of the most downloaded mobile games worldwide.

  Source

1. 1SYBOen.wikipedia.org