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Ulf Andersson and Simon Viklund founded 10 Chambers to bring their visions to life for thousands of players who enjoy cooperative play. Together, they spearheaded two of the biggest games in the entire heist genre: Payday: The Heist and Payday 2. Of course, you can only rob so many banks, so their focus shifted towards creating a new experience based on the same timeless gameplay that they were known for.
After branching away from Overkill Software and the Payday franchise as a whole, the duo founded 10 Chambers. From there, GTFO was born, paving the long road towards a fandom that would welcome their second title, Den of Wolves. To talk about GTFO, their newest game, and everything in between, The Nerd Stash sat down with the 10 Chambers team.
They’ve Always Been On Their Heist S#!T
When 10 Chambers first started in 2015, the intention was to have no more than ten people working for the company. As a result of the wild success of its first game, that’s since changed to include over 100 associates with a combined nearly 100 years of experience. With all of this support, the team has been able to release eleven free major content upgrades, with its final one having just been announced. Rundown 8.0: Duality not only stands as the final story update to GTFO but also as a testament to how far the game has come. In the same moment that they announce the conclusion of their most beloved project, they announce a new one sure to fill the void for many players.
Having worked on heist games in the past which channeled classic bank robbery themes, we wanted to take Den of Wolves in an exciting new direction that allows us to elevate what a heist can be. You can only rob so many banks. Den of Wolves’ sci-fi themes and gameplay elements gave us the freedom to offer more variety in heists — incorporating corporate espionage, sabotage, and assassinations.”
Ulf Andersson, 10 Chambers founder and creative director
GTFO painted a more horrific picture for fans of the heist shooter. Instead of robbing banks, you’re shooting through twisted hunks of flesh and maneuvering through hardcore levels. In the same manner as the Payday series, you are four players cooperatively trying to get through areas and enemies using communication and tactical thinking. As a result, the game built a significant Discord following where players all over the world could come together and both talk about and play the game.
Den of Wolves Was Nearly a Decade in the Making
GTFO was a project that the 10 Chambers team felt that they absolutely needed to create. They didn’t know if there was an audience who would enjoy something so hardcore. However, they felt that in making it, the players who appreciate an FPS challenge would find it and as a result of its cooperative play, would use word of mouth to talk about it. It also proved to be a therapeutic change of pace as the vision for a game that didn’t hold your hand came to life.
It’s known that players enjoy the harsh gameplay, so both Andersson and Viklund decided to bring to life another idea that’s been in their minds: Den of Wolves. The concept has been on Andersson’s mind for nearly a decade, pushing toward the front of his focus as the team got closer and closer to GTFO’s finish line. In an era where a near-future reality owned by private corporations has begun a more prominent theme in gaming, Den of Wolves has no difficulty standing out among the rest.
The idea in our games is that the player is in control and that there isn’t anyone in your ear telling you what you need to do. It’s up to you to communicate with your team and decide what you feel like you need to do in order to feel in charge. We elevated what a heist can be and integrated a thought-provoking narrative to help with the mind**** level.”
Simon Viklund, 10 Chambers co-founder and narrative and audio director
They’re In The Co-Op Game For Good
The two first games on their resume being four-player co-op games isn’t a coincidence. The team is passionate about creating experiences that bring players together. Even in the first two Payday games, communicating with your team and being on top of how the heist will go was a huge aspect of the gameplay. 10 Chambers doesn’t plan on changing its business model anytime soon and with continued support for Den of Wolves after its release, we are sure to see a variety of mind-blowing content.
Co-op games are out forte. We’re always on our heist s***.”
Simon Viklund, 10 Chambers co-founder and narrative and audio director
