Behaviour Interactive

Behaviour Interactive
Name	Behaviour Interactive
Type	Private
Industry	Video games
Founded	1992
Founder	Rémi Racine
Headquarters	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Key people	Rémi Racine
Num employees	2,000+ (2020s)
Products	Dead by Daylight, Fallout Shelter, Assassin's Creed titles (co-development)

Behaviour Interactive

Behaviour Interactive is a Canadian video game developer based in Montreal, Quebec, known for work on asymmetrical multiplayer titles, licensed collaborations, and contract development for major franchises. The studio has contributed to projects across consoles, personal computers, and mobile platforms, collaborating with publishers, licensors, and independent studios. Behaviour has grown through acquisitions, partnerships, and internal studio expansions, engaging with international licensors and distribution networks.

History

Behaviour Interactive was founded in 1992 by Rémi Racine in Montreal and later evolved from earlier entities linked to the Canadian interactive entertainment scene. Early work included licensed adaptations and contract development for companies such as THQ, Ubisoft, Activision, Electronic Arts, and Konami. In the 2000s the studio expanded through satellite offices and strategic hires drawn from studios like Eidos Interactive, Rockstar Games, EA Montreal, and Capcom. Significant milestones include partnerships with licensors such as Warner Bros., CBS, and 20th Century Fox, and contributions to licensed series tied to Marvel Comics and Walt Disney Company. During the 2010s Behaviour pivoted toward original intellectual property and live-service models, launching titles with persistent online features and working with platforms such as Xbox Game Studios, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Nintendo. The studio’s growth included regional expansions into Europe and Latin America, collaborations with academic institutions like McGill University and Université de Montréal for talent pipelines, and involvement in trade organizations including Entertainment Software Association and Alliance numérique.

Notable Games and Franchises

Behaviour has credits on a wide array of titles, from licensed movie tie-ins to original multiplayer experiences. The studio is widely recognized for developing Dead by Daylight, an asymmetrical survival horror title which has engaged licensors like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Stranger Things, Saw (franchise), Halloween (film series), and Resident Evil (video game series). Behaviour contributed to mobile hits such as Fallout Shelter (via collaboration with Bethesda Softworks), worked on installments in the Assassin's Creed series under contract with Ubisoft, and supported productions for Call of Duty partners associated with Activision Blizzard. Other projects include adaptations of properties from Marvel Entertainment, DC Comics, The Walking Dead (comic book series), Star Trek, and film franchises linked to Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The studio’s portfolio also includes collaborations on licensed titles for families and children tied to Hasbro, Lego Group, and Disney Interactive Studios.

Business Operations and Structure

Behaviour operates as a private company with a centralized headquarters in Montreal and multiple satellite studios and remote teams. The company’s leadership includes founder Rémi Racine and senior executives with backgrounds at Electronic Arts, Ubisoft Montreal, Capcom Entertainment, and Rovio Entertainment. Revenue streams combine owned IP, live-service monetization, licensed development contracts, and porting services for publishers like Square Enix and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Behaviour’s corporate strategy has included acquisitions and talent integration similar to moves by Tencent, Embracer Group, and Sony Interactive Entertainment in the industry, and it participates in regional economic initiatives with bodies such as Investissement Québec and provincial tax credit programs. Human resources practices have been shaped by employment law regimes in Canada and international jurisdictions where studios and contractors are located.

Technology and Development Practices

The studio employs middleware and proprietary toolchains to support cross-platform development across Unreal Engine, Unity (game engine), and in-house engines. Behaviour’s engineering teams follow agile methodologies and continuous integration practices used across studios such as Bungie, Respawn Entertainment, and Insomniac Games. Art production pipelines leverage tools from Autodesk, Adobe Systems, and bespoke animation systems influenced by techniques used at Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Digital for cinematic work. Behaviour invests in live-ops infrastructure, using backend services and cloud providers similar to those used by Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure to support matchmaking, anti-cheat, and telemetry. QA and localisation workflows mirror industry standards applied by companies like Lionbridge Technologies and Keywords Studios.

Controversies and Legal Issues

The company has faced scrutiny related to workplace culture and employment practices, echoing public debates that have affected studios such as Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, and Ubisoft in the 2010s and 2020s. Behaviour has been involved in legal disputes over licensing agreements and intellectual property with publishers and rights holders similar to claims observed between Zenimax Media and third parties, and it has navigated contract arbitration and settlement processes akin to cases involving Epic Games. Public controversies have prompted internal reviews and engagement with regulatory bodies and industry unions comparable to those involving SAG-AFTRA and labor organizations active in the interactive entertainment sector.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement

Behaviour participates in community outreach, scholarship programs, and partnerships with educational institutions and non-profit organizations similar to initiatives by Microsoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Epic Games. The company engages players through charity events, esports and fan conventions including appearances at E3, Gamescom, and PAX, and collaborates with mental health and diversity organizations in coordination with groups like Canadian Cancer Society and local cultural foundations. Behaviour’s community teams manage social channels and player support comparable to operations at Discord and Twitch, and run modding support, creator programs, and in-game events that mirror community strategies used by prominent studios.

Category:Video game companies of Canada