adminThe Behaviour Interactive acquisition of The Fun Pimps brings the studio behind 7 Days to Die into the company’s growing horror-game portfolio. The Canadian developer of Dead by Daylight says the partnership will support the Texas-based team’s plans while helping Behaviour expand its presence in the horror genre. The companies have not disclosed the financial terms.
What the Behaviour Interactive acquisition means for 7 Days to Die
7 Days to Die entered Early Access in 2013 and has sold more than 20 million copies. Behaviour says its long-term player engagement and steady growth make it a strong addition to its portfolio. Dead by Daylight, Behaviour’s best-known horror game, has sold more than 60 million units across nearly a decade on the market.
Behaviour CEO Rémi Racine described the acquisition as part of a broader goal to build a portfolio of horror intellectual property. He said the company sees room to develop an established game with a strong foundation and an expanding fanbase.
Behaviour VP of product and executive producer Isabelle Mocquard pointed to similarities between the two studios’ approaches. Both have grown their games over time by maintaining consistent support and building close relationships with players. For players, the companies say the immediate priority is continuity: 7 Days to Die will keep receiving planned support and updates.
Image credit: The Fun Pimps
Why The Fun Pimps chose Behaviour
Co-founders Richard and Joel Huenink considered several options for growing the company, including a sale, a merger, or outside investment. The studio had expanded from two people to 70 without taking external investment. Richard Huenink said the decision was based on finding a partner that understood the team’s vision, rather than simply accepting the most financially attractive offer.
Huenink characterized Behaviour’s structure as an “island model”: The Fun Pimps can receive additional support while retaining its culture and creative direction. He also noted that Behaviour remains privately held and independent.
Mocquard said Behaviour can contribute production experience, marketing support, and knowledge gained from nearly a decade of operating Dead by Daylight as a live-service game. The aim is to help The Fun Pimps advance its plans and reach players more reliably, without taking over the studio’s creative vision.
Behaviour’s strategy for acquiring horror IP
Behaviour has made several acquisitions and partnerships in recent years. In 2023, it acquired SockMonkey Studios and CodeGlue and established Behaviour UK South with former AntiMatter Games staff. In 2024, it acquired Fly Studio and Red Hook Studios, the developer of Darkest Dungeon.
Racine said developing new intellectual property can be difficult, so Behaviour is interested in established properties that could benefit from additional support. The company has one new IP in development, but its current focus is helping The Fun Pimps. Deputy CEO Nathan Sellyn said Behaviour looks for proven horror properties, a clear opportunity for the partnership to create greater value, and a strong cultural fit between teams.
Practical takeaway: the acquisition is intended to add resources and expertise, not to announce an immediate change to 7 Days to Die’s development direction. The studios have not shared detailed integration plans.
A growing market for horror games
Behaviour sees opportunity across several parts of the genre, from independent horror games to large-scale survival horror. Sellyn pointed to titles including No, I’m Not a Human, Mouthwashing, Silent Hill F, Cronos: The New Dawn, and Resident Evil 9. He also described Dead by Daylight as a broad showcase of horror influences and the Darkest Dungeon series as a distinct form of indie horror.
The Fun Pimps plans to use additional art, production, and community resources to support its ambitious plans for 7 Days to Die. The team has not revealed all of those plans. Mocquard said the acquisition is still in its early integration stage, and any effort to accelerate development will take time.
What to expect next
For now, the central commitment is that 7 Days to Die will continue to receive support and updates as planned while The Fun Pimps works on expanding its survival sandbox. Behaviour’s acquisition adds resources and operational experience, but specific new features, timelines, and projects have not been announced. The Behaviour Interactive acquisition therefore signals a long-term partnership focused on growing established horror games, rather than an immediate change players should expect in the game.
