Nørvig sees these videos in a more positive light, describing them as offering “a moment of zen.” They regularly feature Subway Surfers, continually drawing TikTok users back to SYBO’s IP. While there’s no concrete evidence that these “brain rot” videos direct viewers to the App Store, they do help keep Subway Surfers relevant.
Not all social media trends are positive, however. A recent TikTok challenge in New York City encouraged youth to hop between subway cars, resulting in at least six deaths in 2024. Nørvig calls the trend “unfortunate” and states that SYBO would never repost or amplify such dangerous content, although the company opted not to release a public statement on the matter.
For now, Subway Surfers is in the lead, backed by strong, recognizable IP and a savvy social media strategy, rather than less transparent mechanisms. “We’re still the most downloaded viral game,” Nørvig asserts. “Everyone else has paid for their traffic to get on that list.”
Although SYBO declined to disclose exact revenue figures, Nørvig highlights that 80 to 85% of the company’s revenue stems from advertising, with the remainder coming from in-app purchases. Monthly active users remain relatively steady, ranging from 100 to 150 million, bolstered by occasional viral spikes. Given this stable user base, revenue trends at SYBO tend to mirror changes in the advertising market.
But recently, Subway Surfers’ traffic has been coming in more dramatic waves. In 2020, the app saw a surge of new users after TikTokers found a way to “hack” the game. In 2022, a 10th-anniversary social media campaign, along with a TikTok-viral “no coin” challenge, caused downloads to skyrocket once again.
Subway Surfers’ download rate has been consistent for 13 years – around one million new installs each day.
Looking at Subway Surfers as part of a standout group of Scandinavian mobile games, Nørvig notes that alongside Angry Birds and Candy Crush, Subway Surfers’ download rate surpasses its peers significantly. Additionally, it’s the only game in the group adopting such a TikTok-driven strategy, although the correlation between virality and revenue remains ambiguous.
“The fact that TikTok loves us means we’re also being recognized by Apple and Google, as their algorithms pick up on what’s trending on other platforms,” says Nørvig. “It’s a flywheel of activation.”
Included in these figures are users switching to new devices and children getting into phone usage, as well as individuals in less developed countries reaching a level of affluence that allows them to buy their first smartphones. This steady flow of players has made Subway Surfers the most downloaded mobile game ever, clocking in at 4.5 billion lifetime downloads.
“TikTokers know we won’t come after them for posting our content,” says Nørvig. “We have a different approach compared to other companies, who are much stricter on social media policing.”
SYBO’s in-house social media channels are managed by Celia Zimmermann, head of player experience at SYBO. Apart from creating their content across platforms, the team also dedicates significant time to supporting user-generated content. Zimmermann sees Subway Surfers’ openness as “brave,” noting that many community managers at other gaming firms don’t have the same speed in approving content. “We have IP that we can be quite flexible with,” she mentions.
As for the possibility of TikTok disappearing, unlikely in the U.S. due to the extension of the TikTok ban deadline by President Donald Trump, SYBO has contingencies. “Facebook is their go-to, and so is YouTube, so that’s where we engage with them,” Zimmermann notes.
Analysts are divided on Subway Surfers’ future. Gaming insights analyst Samuel Aune from Sensor Tower supports Nørvig’s view of long-term stability, pointing out the game’s consistent 10-year download trajectory compared to its peers. On the other hand, Appfigures CEO Ariel Michaeli is more skeptical, noting that while mobile game downloads have slumped across the board, Subway Surfers’ drop has been more pronounced.
TikTok is teeming with so-called “brain rot” content, typically layering two unrelated videos: one showcasing a TV show or narrated Reddit post, and the other featuring a video game. Also known as “sludge content,” these videos lull viewers into a passive state, akin to “Cocomelon” for teens.
Mathias Gredal Nørvig, head of Subway Surfers’ parent company SYBO, knows the crucial role social media plays in the game’s continuous growth. Many early competitors have disappeared, such as Draw Something and Zombie Farm, and Temple Run, once an inspiration for Subway Surfers, has stalled. Through TikTok, however, Subway Surfers has maintained its competitive edge.
This social momentum is especially crucial for Subway Surfers’ young audience, with many tween players congregating on platforms like TikTok. SYBO doesn’t directly track younger users, but Nørvig estimates that roughly half of the game’s players are under 18—an estimate that might rise considering the number of kids playing on adult devices.
