adminHjalmar Vikström leaves 10 Chambers after nearly 11 years with the Swedish studio he helped establish. The developer says he plans to work independently on much smaller games, with more attention to his health and family. His departure follows a decade of work that included the development and release of the cooperative shooter GTFO.
Hjalmar Vikström leaves 10 Chambers
Vikström, who served as 10 Chambers’ chief development officer, confirmed that he has left the company. He did not give a specific reason for his departure, but described game development as demanding and said the past few years had taken a personal toll.
In a LinkedIn post, Vikström reflected on the work behind GTFO and said he was proud of what the studio achieved with its team. He also expressed gratitude for the colleagues and friends he met and the experience he gained during his time there.
His next step, he said, is to go independent and make considerably smaller games. Vikström added that he wants to focus on health and family while continuing to enjoy making games. He said he would share more about his plans later and looked forward to reconnecting and collaborating with friends in the years ahead.
10 Chambers and the development of GTFO
Founded in Stockholm in 2015, 10 Chambers is best known for GTFO, a cooperative first-person shooter built around players working together. The game entered Early Access in 2019 and received its full release in 2021.
Vikström highlighted two important stages in the game’s development: the Early Access launch, which was completed by a nine-person team, and the later work leading to the full 1.0 release with a larger 10 Chambers team. His comments emphasize the scale of the studio’s effort without suggesting that his departure changes the game’s release history.
For readers following the studio, the key confirmed details are Vikström’s departure, his stated intention to make smaller independent games, and his involvement in 10 Chambers’ work on GTFO. He has not yet shared further specifics about his next projects.
What Vikström’s departure means
Vikström’s announcement describes a personal career change rather than outlining any operational changes at 10 Chambers. The available information does not specify whether his departure will affect the studio’s future plans, so it is best to treat those questions as unanswered until the company or Vikström provides more detail.
Tencent invested in the Swedish developer in 2020 and acquired a major stake. That investment is part of the studio’s background, but no connection between it and Vikström’s decision to leave was stated.
Conclusion
Hjalmar Vikström leaves 10 Chambers after almost 11 years, having helped create the studio and contribute to GTFO. He says he intends to pursue smaller independent games and make more room for health and family. For now, he has not announced a specific new title or provided further details about his plans.
