"Almost all" Subway Surfers installs are organic: Building a brand with "snackable" gameplay and memes

Among the many insightful talks at PGC London this year, Sybo head of brand Adam Collier took to the stage to discuss Subway Surfers, one of the world’s most downloaded mobile games.

Specifically, Collier shared insights into building the Subway Surfers brand and keeping it relevant after more than a decade, transforming with the latest trends but always staying true to the "original vision" of its founders.

"Every three weeks we introduce new characters, new environments, so Subway Surfers stays very relevant," said Collier. "All of those characters are born from the original vision of the founders."

"Snackable" gameplay

During his talk, Collier noted that the creators of Subway Surfers infused their interests in skateboarding and hip-hop into the mobile game and this influence has remained an important element of its identity.

He also attributed Subway Surfer’s success to its "snackable" gameplay, accessible in short bursts without a large time commitment.

"For Subway Surfers especially we want to stay true to the core of our running gameplay. We want to make sure it’s super accessible. We want to make sure people can jump in and experience that gameplay," Collier said.

Building brand awareness

Of course, making potential players aware of that gameplay requires marketing. Collier explained:

"We utilise social media platforms a lot to keep our brand strong. We have a really expert team of social media experts and video content creators who have their fingers on the pulse of what’s trending right now, whether it’s a new meme that dropped this morning or a popular song on Instagram.

"Being able to get the content out immediately that day keep you viral, keeps your content sharable."

He advised that any newer games brand trying to build widespread familiarity must prioritise "consistency". An understanding of what players like about the game is also essential: "You can build on that. Build the audience that’s in love with the IP."

A good relationship with the app stores also helps, according to Collier, "because getting featured on those front pages is really important for visibility".

"We’re probably an anomaly in that sense because almost all of our marketing and resultant installs are organic. We do very little paid user acquisition."

There’s plenty more to discover from PGC London 2025. Check out the full schedule here.