10 Chambers Co-Founder Departs After a Decade

Why It Matters

Vikström’s exit marks a leadership shift for a studio that has successfully scaled indie‑level resources, potentially influencing GTFO’s longevity and the timing of Den of Wolves. It also highlights a broader industry trend of founders seeking healthier work‑life balances while navigating large‑scale investor partnerships.

Key Takeaways

• Co‑founder Hjalmar Vikström exits after ten years.
• 10 Chambers built GTFO from nine‑person team to 1.0.
• Tencent holds major stake, adding development muscle.
• Den of Wolves game pending, no firm release window.
• Vikström will pursue smaller, health‑focused indie titles.

Pulse Analysis

After a decade at the helm, Hjalmar Vikström announced his departure from 10 Chambers, the studio behind the cooperative horror shooter GTFO. Vikström, who co‑founded the company in 2015, guided a nine‑person team through early‑access and the full 1.0 launch in December 2021, earning a reputation for punching above its weight in the crowded FPS market. His exit signals a leadership transition at a critical juncture, as the studio balances ongoing support for GTFO with the development of its next title, Den of Wolves.

The 2020 acquisition of a major stake by Tencent injected significant capital and global distribution clout into 10 Chambers, promising the ‘muscle’ needed to expand its co‑op FPS ambitions. While the partnership has enabled more robust infrastructure, it also raises questions about creative autonomy as the studio navigates investor expectations. Meanwhile, Den of Wolves, the studio’s upcoming co‑op shooter, has generated over half a million wishlists yet remains deliberately undated, reflecting lessons learned from GTFO’s delayed rollout. This cautious communication strategy aims to preserve community trust.

Vikström’s next chapter will focus on smaller, health‑oriented projects, a trend gaining traction among veteran developers seeking work‑life balance after intense production cycles. By scaling down scope, he aims to reduce burnout risk while retaining creative freedom, a model that could inspire similar indie pivots. For 10 Chambers, the leadership change may open space for new talent to steer Den of Wolves toward a timely launch, while the Tencent stake ensures resources remain available. Observers will watch how these dynamics reshape the cooperative shooter niche and broader indie ecosystem.

10 Chambers co-founder departs after a decade

Diego Argüello, Contributing Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com · February 12, 2026

Hjalmar Vikström, co‑founder and chief development officer at GTFO and Den of Wolves developer 10 Chambers, has parted ways with the studio after a decade.

Announced via LinkedIn yesterday, Vikström said he “said goodbye” to the company last week, which he co‑founded and was part of building since 2015.

“If you know me you’ve heard this before: Making games is hard. And these past years have taken their toll. But thinking back I’m proud of how we managed to punch above our weight and deliver GTFO.”

Vikström specifically highlights two moments from the development of the cooperative horror shooter: the early‑access release “from a team of nine,” and the releases culminating with GTFO 1.0 in December 2021.

As for what’s next, the developer is going independent, making “way smaller games, focusing on health and family, and just enjoying game development.” Vikström says there’ll be “more on that later,” and concluded by saying he’s looking forward to reconnecting and collaborating with friends in the years to come.

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In late 2020, Tencent acquired a “major stake” in 10 Chambers. Back then, the studio said the investment would add “more muscle” to its development capabilities that will “allow it to reach new heights in the co‑op FPS genre.”

“To reach the heights we want to, we need to add more muscle,” the announcement read at the time. “We’ve been in search of a partner, and we found Tencent, which has now acquired a major stake in 10 Chambers. They give us the creative freedom to reach new heights in the co‑op FPS genre, and they support our long‑term commitment to GTFO and its community.”

As for Den of Wolves, the studio released a new gameplay trailer in December of last year. Via a press release at the time, co‑founder Oscar J‑T Holm said that while 10 Chambers hadn’t conducted any closed or public playtests by that time, the co‑op shooter had already accrued over half a million wishlists. Yet, the studio is yet to announce a release date.

“The reason we’re shy about communicating a release window yet is that we learned our lesson with GTFO, which was delayed multiple times,” Holm said. “We don’t think it’s fair to communicate fake dates for the sake of getting an announcement out.”