Mobile Gaming: Supercell’s Rise to Fame and the Keys to Success

Abstract

The video game industry has grown dramatically in the past two decades, partly due to the introduction of mobile gaming. Supercell, a small Finnish company, took the mobile game industry by storm in 2012 with its two hit releases, Hay Day and Clash of Clans. Supercell followed the success with the games Boom Beach (2015), Clash Royale (2016), and Brawl Stars (2018). Each of the five games has made Supercell over one billion dollars. Supercell has managed to keep its top games relevant since the times of their releases, and they are still generating substantial revenue and popularity today as 2024 approaches. Nevertheless, the company’s revenue has slowly declined from its peak in 2017 due to its struggles to keep up with the ever-evolving industry and retain its users. This paper will do two things. First, we will break down the methods behind Supercell’s success as a company, including company culture, timing and placement, game development, updates and maintenance, artwork, advertising, and monetization. Second, we will look into the causes of Supercell’s decline, where the company is headed, and speculate its best course of action to return to its former dominance. Ultimately, we will attempt to build the optimal model for a financially successful and sustainable mobile game company by focusing on the current aspects of a good game.