''Surviv.io'' was a browser based

multiplayer online A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system ( couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...

battle royale game A battle royale game is an online multiplayer video game genre that blends last-man-standing gameplay with the survival, exploration and scavenging elements of a survival game. Battle royale games involve dozens to hundreds of players, who sta ...

created by Justin Kim and Nick Clark. It was released in October 2017 on its website for desktop browsers, and in October and November 2018 respectively for iOS and Android devices. Similar to other titles in the battle royale genre, players battle against other players on a large map from a

top-down perspective A variety of computer graphic techniques have been used to display video game content throughout the history of video games. The predominance of individual techniques have evolved over time, primarily due to hardware advances and restrictions ...

, scavenging for supplies and weapons. The game also supports two or four player team modes, and can be played on

mobile browser A mobile browser is a web browser designed for use on a mobile device such as a mobile phone or PDA. Mobile browsers are optimized to display Web content most effectively on small screens on portable devices. Mobile browser software must be sma ...

s as well. In December 2019, ''Surviv.io'' was acquired by online gaming website

Kongregate Kongregate is an American web gaming portal and video game publisher. Its website features over 110,000 online games and 30+ mobile games available to the public. The company also publishes games for PC, mobile, and home consoles. It was purchase ...

. In September 2020, ''Surviv.io'' was released on

Steam Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...

. On February 13 2023, Kongregate announced that they would be shutting down Surviv.io.

Gameplay

Players, also called "Survivrs", are represented by circular figures on a 2D grid-like playing field, surrounded by a circular "red zone" that shrinks as the game progresses. Players in the “red zone” lose health every second, and the amount of health lost per second increases as the game progresses. Players start with only their fists, while extra gear can be found in breakable crates and objects located across the map, and in houses and other buildings. Each game features a randomly generated map, with the locations of buildings and loot being randomized each time. Players drop all their items upon death, and the last player alive wins. The game has a rotation of limited time modes with special gameplay modes that offer exclusive weapons and items.

Equipment

Weapons in ''Surviv.io'' range from close-quarter shotguns and SMGs to long range sniper and assault rifles. Melee weapons such as katanas and throwable grenades can also be found. Most weapons require additional ammunition, which is found separately. Scopes give players a wider view of their surroundings, which vary from 1x (the smallest field of vision) to 15x (the largest field of vision). Vests and helmets protect the player and vary in protection level. Players heal using consumable healing items.

Development

''Surviv.io'' is developed by Justin Kim and Nick Clark. Kim stated that their design philosophy while developing the game was to allow the player to enter a game as fast as possible by minimizing the time in between matches. At launch, ''Surviv.io'' did not have accounts or the ability to track one's statistics. Accounts were added significantly later in an update. In December 2019, ''Surviv.io'' was acquired by online gaming website

, with the company taking over development of the game. In a press release, the company stated they hoped to "invest in the game’s features, especially on mobile." Co-creator Justin Kim expressed that the team was "excited to have Kongregate's team create new features and expand the player experience over the years to come." In 2020, Kim and Clark announced they would be taking a break and the development would be fully passed on to Kongregate. On February 13 2023, Kongregate announced that they would be shutting down Surviv.io.

Reception

PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games ma ...

praised the game's fast paced gameplay and short

matchmaking Matchmaking is the process of matching two or more people together, usually for the purpose of marriage, in which case the matchmaker is also known as a marriage broker. The word is also used in the context of sporting events such as boxing, in ...

times, calling it "one of the most enjoyable BR games out there." In May 2018,

VG247 ''VG247'' is a video game blog published in the United Kingdom, founded in February 2008 by industry veteran Patrick Garratt. In 2009, CNET ranked it as the third best gaming blog in the world. History Founded in collaboration on 1 February 2 ...

described the game as the "most popular battle royale title after ''

Fortnite ''Fortnite'' is an online video game developed by Epic Games and released in 2017. It is available in three distinct game mode versions that otherwise share the same general gameplay and game engine: ''Fortnite Battle Royale'', a free-to-p ...

'' and ''

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds ''PUBG: Battlegrounds'' (previously known as ''PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds'') is a battle royale game developed by PUBG Studios and published by Krafton. The game, which was inspired by the Japanese film '' Battle Royale'' (2000), is based ...

''".

References

External links