Sybo’s flagship title, Subway Surfers, hit four-billion downloads and took the accolade of 2022’s most downloaded game as the title saw another surge in popularity.

More than a decade post-launch, Subway Surfers passed more than four-billion downloads, making it the most downloaded title of 2022. Sybo noted the game received a consistent 20+m DAU (Daily Active Users) and 150m MAU (Monthly Active Users). It also noted the games’ popularity on TikTok, with 6.9m fans and 31m views and 5.3m likes per-month on average.

CEO of Sybo, Mathias Gredal Nørvig commented on the milestone “Over ten years in the making, we’re beyond proud of our team at Sybo for hitting this milestone of four billion downloads and grateful to our global community of Surfers who have stayed devoted to the game along the way. 2022 was a pivotal year for Subway Surfers as it was named the most-downloaded mobile game, and this year we plan on giving fans fresh ways to engage with the IP.”

Surfing on success

The consistent hitting of milestones and the game’s long lifespan is testament to how important Subway Surfers has become as an example of mobile gaming longevity, and how good design can deliver a loyal audience. The growth in popularity also indicates that Sybo have managed to create something of a timeless game, that brings in younger players as well as keeping older ones.

It’s also a massive win for current owners Miniclip after they acquired Sybo last year. Miniclip was erroneously assumed dead - so-to-speak - in 2022 by some publications, Sybo’s success is a clear indicator of just how well this acquisition has paid off for them and how the pivot from flash to mobile has taken it from strength-to-strength, not to the grave. But will both Sybo and Miniclip continue to coast on Subway Surfers’ current incarnation? Or is another entry in the works? Discover the story behind Subway Surfers’ success in our Mobile Masterworks feature here.