Behaviour Interactive Inc. (sometimes shortened to "BHVR") is a Canadian video game developer and publisher based in Montreal. The studio is best known for the online asymmetric multiplayer survival horror game Dead by Daylight (2016).

History The company was founded in 1992 in Quebec City as Megatoon. Two years later, the company's current CEO and executive producer, Rémi Racine, co-founded the Montreal-based Multimedia Interactive (MMI) to develop interactive entertainment software for CD-ROM. Both companies were sold to Malofilm Communications in 1996, and a year later, they were merged into Behaviour Interactive with Racine as general manager. In 1997, the studio released Jersey Devil on PlayStation and later Windows. The 3D platformer was the first console game made entirely in Quebec. Distributed by Sony, Jersey Devil caught the eye of Infogrames Entertainment, which approached Behaviour to produce what would become Bugs Bunny: Lost in Time, released in 1999.

In 1999, Racine and some investors bought the studio back, but they had to rename it, changing the name in 2000 to Artificial Mind and Movement Inc. (A2M). 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, which was the first and largest South American game studio. 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.

On November 8, 2010, Artificial Mind & Movement announced its name was returning to Behaviour Interactive.Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M) Rebrands as Behaviour Interactive - With New Focus, A Return to Previous Name for Canada's Largest Independent Game Developer 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".

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 and by 2022 had more than 50 million players worldwide. In 2018, Behaviour purchased the game's publishing rights from Starbreeze for US$16 million. 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.

On June 21, 2018, Bethesda Softworks sued Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Behaviour Interactive over Westworld, a mobile game based on the science fiction television series Westworld, alleging that the game is a "blatant rip-off" of Fallout Shelter, another mobile game, co-developed by Behaviour. In a suit filed in a United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Bethesda alleges that Westworld "has the same or highly similar game design, art style, animations, features and other gameplay elements" as Fallout Shelter. Bethesda sued for copyright infringement, breach of contract and misappropriating trade secrets, seeking a jury trial and damages. The lawsuit also alleged that Westworld identically reproduced some software bugs that were originally present in Fallout Shelter. The lawsuit was settled out of court in January 2019.

In April 2022, Behaviour announced the opening of a new office in Toronto. In May 2022, it was announced Behaviour Interactive had acquired the Seattle-based game development studio Midwinter Entertainment. 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.

In February 2023, it was announced that Behaviour had acquired UK-based video game developer SockMonkey Studios, 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. Behaviour's next major original release, Meet Your Maker, was released in April 2023 on PC, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One, Series X/S. The game was billed as a "post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players for players".

In May 2023, Concordia University in Montreal announced the creation of a new Behaviour-funded research chair in video game design in its Department of Design and Computation Arts. It was announced that Behaviour would provide $2 million in funding for the research chair over the next 10 years. In July 2023, Behaviour announced the opening of a new studio in Truro, Cornwall, called Behaviour UK – South. In August 2023, Behaviour acquired Netherlands-based video game developer Codeglue, renaming it Behaviour Rotterdam. In November 2023, it was announced that Dead by Daylight had surpassed the 60-million player milestone.

In January 2024, Behaviour laid off 45 employees from its Montreal location, which accounted for less than 3% of its total workforce. In March 2024, Behaviour announced its acquisition of Fly Studio, an award-winning multimedia experience designer and producer from Montreal. Behaviour said the acquisition was made to consolidate its position in the location-based entertainment (LBE) market. Immersive Entertainment replaced the studio's Business Solutions unit, according to its website. In April 2024, Behaviour announced it would be partnering with Scandinavian independent game developer Haenir Studio to bring their action-horror co-op survival game Blight: Survival to life. The company announced it would lay off an additional 95 employees, 70 of whom are based in Montreal.

Behaviour announced the closure of Midwinter on September 18, 2024, and the cancellation of their Dead by Daylight spinoff codenamed "Project T". Behaviour acquired Red Hook Studios, the developers of Darkest Dungeon and its sequel, in September 2024; Red Hook would continue as an independent studio under Behaviour. In March 2026, Behaviour bought The Fun Pimps, the developer of 7 Days to Die.

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. 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.

Business units Behaviour's operations are divided into two business units: Services and Original Games. Its Services unit provides work-for-hire development services to major video game and entertainment industry brands such as Disney, Sony, Activision, Warner Bros. Discovery, Ubisoft, HBO and Nintendo and also includes an Immersive Entertainment vertical that has a primary focus on location-based entertainment (LBE). Behaviour's Original Games unit produces the studio's original IP including Dead by Daylight.

Games

As Megatoon Interactive Game title Year released Platform Publisher Goferwinkel's Adventures: The Lavender Land 1992 PC Ebook, Inc. Wallobee Jack: The Bingi Burra Stone 1993 PC Ebook, Inc. Wallobee Jack: The Lost Lionardo 1994 PC WordPerfect Main Street Wallobee Jack: Secret of the Sphinx 1994 PC WordPerfect Main Street Wallobee Jack: The Thai Sun Adventure 1994 PC GAGA Communications Inc. Amuse, Inc. WordPerfect Main Street. The Temple of Monakumba: Starring Wallobee Jack 1994 PC N/A. Mighty Machines 1996 PC Malofilm

As Artificial Mind & Movement Game title Year released Platform Publisher The Grinch 2000 PS, PC, DC Konami Bugs Bunny & Taz: Time Busters 2000 PS, PC Infogrames Smurf Racer! 2001 PS Infogrames Monsters, Inc. Scream Team 2001 PS, PS2, PC Sony Computer Entertainment Ice Age 2002 GBA Ubisoft Scooby-Doo! Mystery Mayhem 2003 GBA, PS2, GC, Xbox THQ Carmen Sandiego: The Secret of the Stolen Drums 2004 PS2, GC, Xbox BAM! Entertainment Home on the Range 2004 GBA Buena Vista Games Disney's Kim Possible 2: Drakken's Demise 2004 GBA Buena Vista Games Scaler 2004 PS2, GC, Xbox Take-Two Interactive Get on da Mic 2004 PS2 Eidos Interactive Lizzie McGuire 2: Lizzie Diaries 2004 GBA Buena Vista Games Disney Move 2004 PS2 EyeToy Buena Vista Games Scooby-Doo! Unmasked 2005 GBA, PS2, GC, Xbox, DS THQ Disney's Kim Possible 3: Team Possible 2005 GBA Buena Vista Games That's So Raven 2: Supernatural Style 2005 GBA Buena Vista Games everGirl... your way to play! 2005 GBA, PC THQ Chicken Little 2005 GBA Buena Vista Games Teen Titans 2005 GBA Majesco Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Mis-Edventures 2005 GBA, PC, PS2, GC, Xbox Midway Games Flow: Urban Dance Uprising 2005 PS2 Ubisoft Disney's Kim Possible: Kimmunicator 2005 DS Buena Vista Games Teen Titans 2006 PS2, GC, Xbox THQ, Majesco Monster House 2006 PS2, GC, GBA, DS THQ The Ant Bully 2006 Wii, PS2, GC, GBA, PC Midway Games The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Tipton Caper 2006 GBA Buena Vista Games The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Tipton Trouble 2006 DS Buena Vista Games Teen Titans 2: The Brotherhood's Revenge 2006 GBA Majesco Disney's Kim Possible: What's the Switch? 2006 PS2 Buena Vista Games The Sims 2: Pets 2006 GBA EA Happy Feet 2006 DS, Wii, PS2, GC, GBA, PC Midway Games Disney's Kim Possible: Global Gemini 2007 DS Buena Vista Games Drake & Josh 2007 GBA THQ Drake & Josh: Talent Showdown 2007 DS THQ Enchanted: Once Upon Andalasia 2007 GBA Buena Vista Games High School Musical: Livin' the Dream 2007 GBA Buena Vista Games High School Musical: Makin' the Cut! 2007 DS Buena Vista Games Spider-Man: Friend or Foe 2007 DS, PSP Activision The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Circle of Spies 2007 DS Disney Interactive Studios Power Rangers: Super Legends 2007 DS, PS2, PC Disney Interactive Studios High School Musical: Sing It! 2007 PS2, Wii Disney Interactive Studios The Golden Compass 2007 DS Sega High School Musical 2: Work This Out! 2008 DS Disney Interactive Studios Iron Man 2008 DS, Wii, PS2, PSP, PC Sega The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 2008 DS Vivendi Games Mercenaries 2: World in Flames 2008 PS2 Electronic Arts Transformers Animated: The Game 2008 DS Activision Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors 2008 DS, Wii Activision The Lord of the Rings: Conquest 2009 DS EA MySims Racing 2009 DS, Wii EA Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! 2009 PS3, X360, Wii Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 2009 DS Activision Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings 2009 DS, Wii, PS2 LucasArts Shorts 2009 DS MajescoTetris2009PSN (PSP)EA Wet 2009 PS3, X360 Bethesda Softworks Dante's Inferno 2010 PSP EA Revenge of the Wounded Dragons 2010 PS3 Sony Computer Entertainment Naughty Bear 2010 PS3, X360 505 Games 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures 2 2010 PS3, X360 Konami

As Behaviour Interactive