Behaviour Interactive, known for the asymmetric horror game Dead by Daylight, is now working on Serious Sam: Shatterverse. This new title in Croteam’s long-standing shooter franchise was unveiled during the Xbox Partner Showcase.
This announcement marks a unique shift in development. Croteam, the Croatian studio behind every mainline Serious Sam game since the original in 2001, is passing the reins to a Canadian team with a different focus. Behaviour’s Dead by Daylight has attracted over 50 million players since its 2016 debut, but creating a chaotic, wave-based shooter is definitely a big change for them.
We don’t have many details about Shatterverse just yet. However, the title and initial footage hint at arena-style combat. This aligns with the franchise’s hallmark of huge enemy hordes and nonstop action. According to Croteam, the Serious Sam series has sold over 4 million units throughout its history, giving Behaviour a solid foundation to build upon.
The placement at the Xbox Partner Showcase shows that Microsoft sees this as an important third-party release, not just a minor entry. While we haven’t heard anything official about Xbox Game Pass inclusion, games announced at Partner Showcases often end up on the service around launch.
Croteam keeping IP ownership while licensing development to Behaviour is similar to trends we’ve seen in the industry. This is particularly true for legacy franchises that want to increase output without overextending their internal teams. The big question remains: can Behaviour adapt Dead by Daylight‘s live-service skills to a shooter context? This concern was highlighted by reports from Eurogamer and FullCleared.
| Serious Sam series lifetime sales | 4 million+ units |
| Dead by Daylight total players | 50 million+ |
| Dead by Daylight launch year | 2016 |
| Serious Sam franchise debut | 2001 |
| Behaviour Interactive founding year | 1992 |
The community’s reaction to this developer collaboration has been mixed. Serious Sam fans on Reddit and Steam forums have raised concerns that Behaviour’s live-service model might lead Shatterverse down a monetization path that clashes with the series’ usual straightforward premium releases. Meanwhile, players of Dead by Daylight seem intrigued but cautious. Their community has spent years discussing Behaviour’s post-launch support decisions, which could influence how the studio approaches this new project.
What To Watch
- Business model confirmation: Whether Shatterverse is a premium title, free-to-play, or available on Game Pass from day one will shape its audience and commercial expectations more than any gameplay reveal.
- Croteam’s involvement: The level of Croteam’s role as a creative consultant versus a passive licensor will likely impact how closely the game aligns with the series’ tone and mechanics.
- Release window: There’s no word yet on a launch date or year. Keep an eye out for a gameplay-focused showcase in the coming months, which might hint at a target in 2025 or 2026.
