Behaviour Interactive

In 1999, Racine and some investors bought the studio back, but they had to rename it, changing the name in 2000 to Artificial Mind & Movement Inc. (A2M).[5][3] As A2M, the studio continued its work-for-hire projects, producing titles for clients including Konami, Sony Computer Entertainment, Ubisoft, Disney Interactive Studios, Nintendo, EA and Activision. In November 2008, the company acquired Santiago-based Wanako Games from Activision Blizzard,[6] which was the first and largest South American game studio.[3] As A2M, the studio maintained its focus on producing original titles, releasing Scaler (2004), Wet (2009) and Naughty Bear (2010). This last title had more than 800,000 console-unit sales and laid the groundwork for the studio's 2016 breakthrough original game, Dead by Daylight.[7]

On November 8, 2010, Artificial Mind & Movement announced its name was returning to Behaviour Interactive.[8] The change was partly due to increased production of original titles and thus stronger presence in the gaming community, partly due to the availability of the original name, and partly due to one particular obscene interpretation of the initialism "A2M".[5]

The studio has maintained its work-for-hire services with major clients while continuing to invest in original games. In 2016, Behaviour released Dead by Daylight, a multiplayer survival action horror game published by Sweden's Starbreeze. Dead by Daylight sold more than 1 million copies in its first two months[9][10] and by 2022 had more than 50 million players worldwide.[11] In 2018, Behaviour purchased the game's publishing rights from Starbreeze for US$16 million.[12] Thanks in large part to the game's success, Behaviour has seen its revenues grow from CAD $25 million in 2015 to CAD $225 million in 2021.[13][14]

In April 2022, Behaviour announced the opening of a new office in Toronto. The studio said the office will accommodate at least 50 employees working on projects across Behaviour's three business units.[15]

In May 2022, it was announced Behaviour Interactive had acquired the Seattle-based game development studio Midwinter Entertainment.[16]

Behaviour's next major original release, Meet Your Maker, is due for release in April 2023 on PC, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One, Series X/S. The game is billed as a "post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players for players."[17]

In the summer of 2022, Behaviour released Hooked on You, a dating sim spinoff from the Dead by Daylight franchise, and the melee brawler Flippin Misfits. Both games were revealed alongside Meet Your Maker at the first Behaviour Beyond showcase of new and upcoming releases broadcast in August 2022.[18]

In February 2023, it was announced that Behaviour had acquired UK-based video game developer SockMonkey Studios,[19] which is now renamed Behaviour UK - North.

In March 2023, it was announced that a film based on Dead by Daylight is in development, with Blumhouse Productions, Atomic Monster and Striker Entertainment co-producing.[20]

In July 2023, Behaviour announced the opening of a new studio in Truro, Cornwall, called Behaviour UK - South.[21]

In August 2023, Behaviour acquired Netherlands-based video game developer Codeglue, renaming it Behaviour Rotterdam.[22]

Behaviour's operations are divided into three business units – Studios, Digital and Business Solutions.[23] Its Studios unit provides work-for-hire development services to major video game and entertainment industry brands such as Disney, Sony, Activision, Warner Bros., Ubisoft, HBO and Nintendo. Its Digital unit produces Behaviour's original content including Dead by Daylight. Behaviour's Business Solutions unit applies game technology to business ends for corporate clients such as Bombardier, CAE and CN Rail.[24]

Behaviour Interactive made headlines as one of the first video game studios to abolish crunch time, a controversial yet widespread practice in the video game industry that requires employees to work longer hours, often unpaid, to meet project milestones.[25][26][27] The policy helped Behaviour earn its designation as one of Canada's Best Workplaces by gamesindustry.biz in 2018 and again in 2021 and 2022.[26][28]