Stunlock Studios

Stunlock Studios is a Swedish video game developer that has carved out a niche in the competitive online gaming market. The company's journey began in 2008 as a university project among thirteen students at the University of Skövde. Their initial creation, a precursor to "Bloodline Champions," gained significant traction, winning 'Game of the Year 2009' at the Swedish Game Awards. This early success spurred the formal establishment of Stunlock Studios on May 19, 2010. One of the founders, Tau Petersson, who studied 3D graphics, has been a central figure in the company and the broader Skövde game development scene. The current leadership includes CEO Rickard Frisegård, who has been with the company since 2011 and previously co-founded Warcraftmovies.com.

Initially backed by investors like Funcom and the business incubator Gothia Science Park, the studio navigated early financial challenges. A key partnership formed with Coffee Stain Studios, fellow alumni from the university, to co-fund the development of "Battlerite". The studio's trajectory shifted significantly with investment from Tencent, which started with a minority stake in 2019 and grew to a majority share in July 2021, providing strategic support while allowing the studio to maintain its operational independence. This acquisition has provided the stability needed to pursue more ambitious projects.

The studio's business model centers on developing and selling premium games, often through an early access model on platforms like Steam, supplemented by in-game purchases. Their target market consists of players who enjoy competitive, skill-based multiplayer experiences. A major financial success came with "V Rising," an open-world vampire survival game, which sold over one million copies within its first week of early access in May 2022 and contributed to a profit of 213 million SEK in 2022. "V Rising" allows players to hunt for blood, build castles, and engage in both PvE and PvP combat, either solo or on servers with up to 40 players. Other notable titles include "Battlerite," an action-packed team arena brawler, its battle royale spinoff "Battlerite Royale," and their inaugural game, "Bloodline Champions."

Keywords: Stunlock Studios, video game developer, V Rising, Battlerite, Bloodline Champions, Tencent, Rickard Frisegård, Tau Petersson, Skövde, PC gaming, online multiplayer, arena brawler, survival game, MOBA, game development, early access, Steam, competitive gaming, fantasy games, PvP, PvE, action RPG