Supercell releases next big hit in mobile gaming industry

April 17, 2016 — by Roland Shen

Students all across campus have been distracted because Supercell, the mobile gaming company that first introduced the blockbuster hit Clash of Clans, recently released its new addicting smash hit game called Clash Royale on March 2.

 

Junior Kyle Jew could not take his eyes off his phone screen. Wandering down the hall during break, he bumped right into another student without noticing.

But it wasn’t just Jew whose eyes were glued to their smartphones. Students all across campus have been distracted because Supercell, the mobile gaming company that first introduced the blockbuster hit Clash of Clans, recently released its new addicting smash hit game called Clash Royale on March 2.

Ever since the game’s release, it has rocketed to No. 1 of the free apps category in both the Google Play and iOS App Stores.

Clash Royale is a collectible card game that pits players against one another in real time. In the game, players use cards obtained through chests to play their opponents.

All of Supercell’s games, which include Boom Beach, Hay Day and Clash of Clans, revolve around a system that follows the pattern of playing, waiting and upgrading cards or buildings. Since all of its games are “free to play,” the company offers in-app purchases to allow its players to upgrade their items faster.

Supercell reported over $1 billion in revenue last year from in-app purchases with Clash of Clans alone. Though a clear projection has not been announced for this year, experts estimate that Clash Royale’s revenue will increase by at least half a million due to its ongoing success.

Because the gameplay consists of strategic online matches against friends or random opponents from around the world, it has quickly become one of the most popular games among students.

“The game lets me play against other people in live time,” junior Wesley Lau said. “This makes [the game] all the more exciting.”

According to Jew, Clash Royale’s addictive nature comes from Supercell’s implementation of chests, which rewards players for returning to the game every few hours.

“I kind of hate the chests because [I] keep checking to see if the three hours or so have passed,” Jew said. “I always want to open the chests whenever they’re available, so it distracts me from homework way too often.”

Clash Royale and Clash of Clans, which is more focused on upgrading defenses, share the same universe, featuring the same characters and buildings. However, Clash Royale involves more strategy because players are forced to respond to their opponent's attacks.

While the popularity for the game might only last for a few more months, its undisputed success shows that it truly has the potential to outdo its famous predecessor, Clash of Clans.

“Clash Royale is really something that I’ve never seen in a phone game before,” Jew said. “It can really face up to more popular games on consoles.”

 
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