Finnish game developer Supercell has been riding off the success waves for a decade now, and given the potential of their upcoming projects, that is not going to stop anytime soon surely. In the recent ‘yearly’ blog penned by CEO Ilkka Paananen, we have got to know some interesting details regarding creating new games, ideas of startups behind each game, culture, financial results, and the 2024 year for Supercell. Well, I did a good reading of it, and in this space, I will brief you on what was offered in the blog.

The CEO wants to see the new game teams as startups to set a high bar

In his blog, Ilkka Paananen talks about how he mentioned Supercell needs to make big changes in his previous blog post because their games haven’t been growing and they haven’t released any new ones lately. Even though people told him not to change things, he explains how they’re going to shake things up.

Supercell team

He mentions they need to treat new game teams like startups, be picky about who’s on the teams, and get feedback from players early on. Ilkka also writes they need to start treating their successful games as big businesses and have larger teams working on them. Overall, he wants to make sure Supercell keeps its special culture while getting better at making games, and I think I can agree with this since it is the positive culture of the team that makes you push further both in quality and quantity.

The CEO also emphasizes the importance of owning up to mistakes and fostering a culture of accountability. He shares his journey of rebuilding Supercell’s leadership team, welcoming new members Sara and Fernanda. However, he stresses that Supercell’s success isn’t about individual leaders but about the collective brilliance of its teams and culture. Paananen encourages a mindset of constant change and improvement, believing that embracing discomfort leads to long-term success.

Supercell remains profitable as Brawl Stars emerges biggest game as measured by player number

In the financial space, I read that despite a slight decline in revenue and EBITDA compared to the previous year, Supercell remains profitable, allowing them to maintain high-quality games and take risks. In general, Ilkka mentions that the ever-popular Clash of Clans generated over $10 Billion in revenue in the last decade, and along with Clash Royale, the World of Clash has generated more than $14 Billion in revenue.

Clash Royale and Clash of Clans Supercell Games

Paananen stresses that the focus remains on delivering value to players and doesn’t see financial results as the “end goal” but just means to the end, with ongoing improvements to content and experiences in creating better games. Here are the financial results shared:

  • Revenue of $1.82 Billion (€1.7 Billion) (down 4.2% compared to 2022)
  • EBITDA of $622 Million (€580 Million) (down 8.2% compared to 2022)
  • Corporate taxes of $118 Million (€110 Million) paid in Finland

While acknowledging the challenges in the mobile games market, he highlights the positive trajectory of live games, particularly Brawl Stars, which has seen significant growth in the player base due to improved content and features, which was the biggest Supercell game as measured by number of players as confirmed by Ilkka. Although Clash of Clans and Clash Royale have been the bigger and more popular names, it is interesting to see Brawl Stars raking up such amazing numbers.

Supercell sets eyes on upcoming games for 2024 with a strong lineup

Ilkka Paananen expresses optimism about the upcoming year for Supercell. He highlights the strength of their expanded teams, poised to deliver even more for players. Paananen is particularly excited about the new games in development, such as Clash Mini, Squad Busters, and mo.co, promising more to come.

Speaking of these games, I’ve played them myself, and all three have immense potential. Clash Mini sets itself in the Clash Universe which was announced along with two other titles; Clash Heroes and Clash Quest, back in 2021, and surprisingly, the only game in active development among the three. Although available in select regions, it is long due for a release, and 2024 is the year hopefully.

Upcoming 2024 releases for Supercell

Squad Busters is another title that is in long development. Its first Closed Beta test was a success which attracted a positive response from the ones who participated, and I was one among them too. The title I’m very much waiting for is mo.co, which differentiates itself as something unique from what Supercell has come up with till now.

The monster-hunting action RPG had just one closed beta test till now, yet it was so enjoyable that I felt this would surely be Supercell’s biggest hit and my personal favorite with a few changes. The development roadmap for 2024 shared by the dev team is also promising in terms of the content offered, and the 2024 release seems to be more likely.

mo.co Supercell cover, beta first impressions

Overall, as a fan of Supercell, 2024 is going to be a positive year, and three amazing games getting a full-fledged release is very exciting. I’m pretty sure you are ecstatic about this too, so drop your opinions on what you feel about this year for Supercell.