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10 of the coolest Swedish games developers to work for

Ever dream of following in the footsteps of other internationals by moving to Sweden to work in its burgeoning games industry? The Local looks at 10 of Sweden's coolest games companies of recent years to help point you in the right direction...

10 of the coolest Swedish games developers to work for
A screenshot from critically acclaimed A Way Out, developed by Josef Fares' studio Hazelight. Photo: Hazelight

MachineGames

Based in university city Uppsala, in 2014 MachineGames took on the challenge of developing new chapters in the Wolfenstein series, a franchise that has been loved by gamers since the original was released way back in 1981 but was struggling following a distinctly average reboot attempt in 2009.

The Swedish developer has managed to revive the series and consistently push it forward, with the most-recent chapter, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, the most critically acclaimed of the bunch.

DICE

There's no denying that Star Wars Battlefront II took a battering from critics following its disappointing 2017 release, but that blip on the radar aside, recent smash hits like Battlefield 1 and Mirror's Edge Catalyst mean Stockholm developer EA DICE remains a place most would give an arm and a leg to work at.

With the next installment of the Battlefield series due in 2018, there will be no shortage of hype building around developments at their Södermalm office in the coming months.

FOR MEMBERS: How to land a dream job at a Swedish tech startup

Thunderful

Formed in December 2017 through a merger of two studios to create a Gothenburg gaming powerhouse, Thunderful brings the experience of the Steamworld series through its developer Image & Form (whose latest title SteamWorld Dig 2 was a critical hit) and partner studio Zoink, the brains behind impressive indie adventure Fe.

The west coast veterans will move into a new office in 2018 and turn to combining their powers to develop a new title.

Experiment 101

The hype over new Swedish studio Experiment 101's forthcoming title BioMutant is massive after it was named one of Metacritic’s most anticipated PS4 games of 2018. THQ have bought into the excitement too, purchasing the indie developer in November 2017, suggesting they expect big things.

Starbreeze Studios

Stockholm studio Starbreeze is responsible for perhaps one of the saddest games of all time in the form of award-winning title Brothers: A tale of two sons, developed in cooperation with Swedish film director Josef Fares.

The company is no one-trick pony either. As a publisher, Starbreeze has also seen big success thanks to Dead by Daylight selling more than three million copies since its initial release in 2016.

Mojang

Regardless of whether you're a fan, it is difficult to argue against Minecraft being the most important Swedish game of all time, and the sandbox adventure's continued success more than seven years and hundreds of millions of sales since its release shows that Mojang continues to be relevant.

READ ALSO: 10 of the best Swedish games everyone should try

Hazelight Studios

Founded by Josef Fares following the aforementioned success of Brothers, with A Way Out, Hazelight Studios has lived up to the heady standards set by Fares' previous game while at the same time moving in a different direction through the decision to make the title co-op only.

Critically lauded for its immersive two-player gameplay, A Way Out has also been a commercial success for the fledgling studio, selling more than one million copies since its March release. Everyone is keen to find out what the film director turned developer is working on next, though he hasn't given away too many details yet.

Stunlock Studios

Based in Skövde in southern Sweden, Stunlock has been around since 2010 but it's 2017 multiplayer Battlerite that's their most exciting work to date, earning praise for its focus on skill and an addictive fast pace.

The Swedish company has just launched a professional league for players of the game to help satisfy the demands of its growing community.

READ ALSO: Inside the office of a Stockholm VR games developer

Coldwood Interactive

Umeå's Coldwood Interactive wowed gamers with the release of unique platformer Unravel in multiple formats in 2016, being rated as the best new title for PC by Metacritic and stunning with its unique visuals and sound.

Fans are now waiting with bated breath for more information on the sequel, with details still scarce.

Avalanche Studios

Known for the hugely popular Just Cause series that has spawned three titles and a movie project since launching in 2006, Stockholm's Avalanche has been focusing on a hunting simulator in recent years but it's the recent revelation that their next project will be another open-world action game that has really thrilled gamers.

An intriguing detail is that the new project will make use of the real-life faces of 12 people, who can apply to have their likeness immortalized in the game.

 
 

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EXPLAINED: How do I get a Swedish digital mailbox?

A digital mailbox is a way to receive important information from the Swedish public sector, as well as from private businesses. How can you get one, and how does it work?

girl holding a smartphone
A digital mailbox can allow you to access important post from your smartphone. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

More than half of Sweden’s adult population have a digital mailbox, and they are even required to access some services such as the Swedish Covid-19 vaccination certificate for foreign-vaccinated residents.

How does it work?

A digital mailbox – or digital brevlåda in Swedish – is a place for you to receive post from authorities, regions and municipalities digitally. With some digital mailboxes, you can also receive post from private companies, such as invoices, payslips and recepits.

They are meant to be secure, as you must authenticate yourself with digital ID (such as BankID), and easy to access.

There are four types of digital mailbox you can choose from:

All four types of digital mailbox are free and offer essentially the same service, except Min myndighetspost, which only offers post from the public sector. Kivra, Digimail and e-Boks all offer apps in Swedish and English.

Who can get one?

Anyone over the age of 18 with a Swedish digital ID such as BankID or Freja e-ID can get a digital mailbox.

In practice, this means that you must have a Swedish personal number, as this is a prerequisite for a Swedish digital ID.

How can I apply?

You apply directly to the digital mailbox of your choosing, a process which usually takes no more than a few minutes.

You will be asked for your personal number, your phone number and your email address. Once you have provided the digital mailbox service with this information, you will authenticate yourself with your digital ID, and that’s it – you have a digital mailbox.

What can I do with it?

Depending on the service you choose, you will – as well as reading your post – also be able to sign contracts and pay invoices directly via your digital mailbox. You can also choose to deregister your digital postbox from any specific sender if you would rather receive paper post for any reason.

You can also receive digital receipts and upload your own documents to the mailbox for safekeeping, if you wish.

You are responsible for reading your digital post, which means you are responsible for ensuring that you have access to the internet and a computer or smartphone. You will usually receive an email or text message informing you when you receive new post.

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