What Sharkmob does

Sharkmob AB is a privately held Swedish game development studio founded in 2017 in Malmö and wholly owned by Tencent. The studio develops AAA-quality multiplayer shooter games for PC and console on Unreal Engine 5, targeting global consumer gaming audiences through Steam and console marketplaces. Its two-product portfolio consists of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt, a free-to-play battle royale launched in April 2022 that is scheduled to shut down on April 28, 2026 due to insufficient player populations, and Exoborne, an upcoming premium original-IP tactical extraction shooter targeted for 2025 release and currently accumulating wishlists on Steam.

The studio operates with a flat organizational structure and a distinctive employee incentive model in which staff share 10% of project profits alongside annual performance bonuses. Its technical and research infrastructure centers on the on-site Research End-User Experience Facility (REEF) in Malmö, a dedicated user-research lab where compensated playtesters provide structured feedback on in-development games. Distribution relies on third-party platform partnerships (Steam, console stores) supplemented by organic social channels (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) and playtest-driven community engagement.

In November 2025, following the announced Bloodhunt shutdown, Sharkmob underwent organizational restructuring including layoffs at the Malmö headquarters and full closure of its London studio, consolidating operations around Exoborne. The studio is currently operating with a 251–500 employee headcount range, with revenue driven by residual in-game spending in Bloodhunt ahead of its wind-down and pre-launch Exoborne wishlist activity. As a Tencent subsidiary, Sharkmob operates within a larger Western gaming portfolio that includes Funcom and other studios subject to ongoing cost discipline.

Name

Sharkmob

Legal name

Sharkmob AB

Website

https://sharkmob.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Sharkmob AB is a Tencent-owned Swedish AAA multiplayer game studio (Malmö, founded 2017) developing shooters on Unreal Engine 5, transitioning from the free-to-play Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt to its upcoming premium extraction shooter Exoborne.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development

akta.pro primary industry

AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console) (MPAFAAAA)

Keywords

• AAA game development
• Multiplayer shooter games
• Tactical extraction shooters
• Free-to-play battle royale
• Unreal Engine 5 games

Headquarters

HQ city

Malmö

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Game Sales - Exoborne: Premium game sales for Exoborne, an original tactical extraction shooter IP developed in Malmö.
2. Free-to-Play Battle Royale (Bloodhunt): Free-to-play battle royale model with in-game store for token purchases, though game is scheduled to shut down April 28, 2026.
3. Profit Sharing and Bonuses: Employees share 10% of project profits, with annual personal performance bonuses as part of compensation structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sharkmob is a Swedish AAA game development studio that designs, builds, and publishes multiplayer shooter games for PC and console platforms using Unreal Engine 5. Its core offerings are Exoborne, an upcoming open-world tactical extraction shooter available for wishlist on Steam, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt, a free-to-play vampire-themed battle royale launched in April 2022. The studio also operates REEF, an on-site user research facility in Malmö where playtesters provide direct feedback on games in development.

Product overview

Sharkmob is a Swedish game developer founded in 2017 that creates AAA-quality multiplayer games for PC and console. The company operates a two-product portfolio: Exoborne, an upcoming tactical extraction shooter currently in development and available for wishlist on Steam, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt, a battle royale game released in April 2022 that is scheduled to shut down in April 2026. The studio also operates REEF, a research facility for player testing. All games are powered by Unreal Engine 5 and focus on strong online multiplayer components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exoborne: An open-world, tactical extraction shooter set in a United States torn apart by apocalyptic forces of nature. This is Sharkmob's original IP currently in development.
• Bloodhunt

Products and services

• Exoborne An open-world, tactical extraction shooter set in a world torn apart by extreme forces of nature. Players customize powerful exo-rigs to gain strategic advantage in ever-changing weather conditions and face hostile factions, enemy players, and environmental hazards in high-stakes sessions. Developed by Sharkmob for PC and console.
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt A free-to-play battle royale game set in Prague, consumed by a ruthless war between vampire factions. Players battle using supernatural abilities in a vampire-themed setting. Launched in April 2022 and servers scheduled to shut down on April 28, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bloodhunt operated for 4 years before shutdown
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Respawn Entertainment: Respawn (owned by EA) builds AAA multiplayer shooters including Apex Legends and Titanfall series. Operates the leading extraction-adjacent battle royale and shares Sharkmob's emphasis on movement-shooter mechanics and PC/console delivery.
• Bungie: Bungie develops AAA multiplayer shooters (Destiny 2, formerly Halo) for PC and console, making it the closest direct peer in scope, technology stack (proprietary engine evolved from Unreal lineage), and live-service shooter expertise. Comparable headcount and studio model.
• Bohemia Interactive: Bohemia Interactive develops tactical shooters (Arma series, Vigor) including extraction-style gameplay. Comparable focus on hardcore PC shooter audiences and comparable studio size.
• Embark Studios: Embark Studios is a Stockholm-based AAA multiplayer shooter developer owned by Nexon (with prior Tencent investment), creating ARC Raiders—an extraction shooter directly competing with Exoborne. Comparable headcount, tech stack (proprietary/engine work), and Tencent-adjacent ownership profile.
• 4A Games: 4A Games develops AAA first-person shooters (Metro series) with a strong single-player/cinematic emphasis. Owned by Embracer Group until 2024, comparable headcount, and overlapping Eastern European shooter expertise.
• People Can Fly: People Can Fly develops AAA shooter games (Outriders, Bulletstorm) for PC and console, with similar team size and similar business-model profile as a publicly listed mid-sized Western AAA shooter studio.

Emerging players

• Midwinter Entertainment: Midwinter Entertainment developed Scavengers, a multiplayer PvPvE shooter emphasizing extraction-style survival gameplay. Smaller studio with comparable PvPvE shooter focus.

Broad incumbents

• Ubisoft Massive: Ubisoft Massive is the Malmö-based AAA studio within Ubisoft (The Division 2, Star Wars Outlaws). Direct geographic peer sharing the Malmö talent pool and producing comparable multiplayer open-world shooters.
• Avalanche Studios Group: Avalanche Studios is a Stockholm-based AAA developer (Just Cause, Mad Max, theHunter: Call of the Wild). Comparable Nordic location, comparable headcount, and comparable multiplayer open-world expertise.
• Funcom: Funcom is a Norwegian AAA game studio also owned by Tencent, producing survival and multiplayer titles (Conan Exiles, Dune: Awakening). Sibling studio under Tencent's Western gaming portfolio and subject to the same parent-company cost-cutting pressures as Sharkmob.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sharkmobgames
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Sharkmob
• Facebookfacebook.com/SharkmobGames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharkmob
• Instagraminstagram.com/sharkmobgames

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sharkmob