Mobile App Success Story: Clash Royale

Over the years a number of mobile games have taken the world by storm; these games keep changing the trends. From Flappy Bird to Crossy Road and the ever-reigning Candy Crush, these games do not joke. However, there is a game currently sailing in uncharted waters and has become endearing to people in the mobile app industry. This game, called Candy Royale is a real-time strategy game which makes use of cards like MOBA uses various units, but primarily for the destruction of opponent’s crown towers; while protecting your own towers with the cards available in your deck.

Clash Royale is a game that inculcates the style, character, and theme of Clash of Clans in a unique genre. The game, no doubt a strategy game, tries to mix the aura of collectible card games with a MOBA style, combined with a single screen approach that moves at a fast pace.

The game has a playfield split into two sides, with players trying to defend their castle from each other. A winner emerges when one player destroys the castle of another; or when the time is up; the win goes to the player who has been able to destroy the most opposing buildings.

Brilliant Idea

Developed by Supercell, Clash Royale is a mobile game based on an internal prototype called The Summoners; created before the launch of the company’s 2012 big hit- Clash of Clans. Just like their previous game; Clash of Clans; it did not take long for Supercell’s mobile game; Clash Royale to become huge in the industry. The card-based real-time game is a top grossing app in the App Store, with over 70,000 reviews. The company, known for releasing games with clearly high standards has made several millions of dollars in profits from a number of games from 2015 till today.

How Clash Royale Did It

It is tough to live up to standard when you have a successful predecessor, but things can get a bit easier if you utilize your predecessor’s success. This is exactly what Clash Royale did. The game used Clash of Clans success, as the natural path for users to come through, thereby utilizing the game’s success and applying it to a different type of game.

Business Model

Developed by Supercell, Clash Royale brought a different kind out ‘outside the box’ concept to the mobile game industry. They found a number of ways to attract users while generating income in the process. The company developed a one of a kind competitive play the industry has never had. As an offshoot of the company’s previous hit, Clash of Clans; this new game allows the company to monetize and grow in several ways.

Social Marketing

Firstly, the company recognized the importance of the social environment. They added a prominent social element to the game, Clash Royale. This they did by allowing players to have the option of belonging to clans of up to 50 people and these clans members have the option of socializing with each other, donate cards to one another and band together.

Players even receive bonuses like golds for every card they donate to a clan. This only means that joining a clan gives players an advantage. This is a very brilliant concept by Supercell because these Clans will only help grow the community of Clash Royale users and widen the game’s horizon.

Cross-Promotion

Secondly, they capitalized on cross-promotion. Several fans of Clash of Clans were converted because the game was all too familiar. With Clash Royale ads placed on Clash of Clans and vice versa, users were quickly aware of the new card game in town and with time, they got hooked.

Real-Time Strategy

Supercell, decided to create a game that is simple, easy to learn yet complex enough so it does not get boring, with a social appeal to generate mass-market and followership. Clash Royale also combines a unique blend of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, Tower defense, Collectible Card Game and Real-time strategy. With a high level of social and re-engagement hooks, the game has all it takes to make you return to it, over and over. The game figured out how to allow players across the globe, compete with each other, in real-time. This is a very huge feat as the speed of downloads and carriers vary across the globe. This is basically one of the most unique features of Clash Royale. People all over the world get to meet and interact in real time!

Subtle Monetization

The company adopted subtle ways to monetize the mobile game application while giving users unique value for money services. Thus making it easier for users to spend, as they are having fun out of the whole process.

Faster Upgrades

Clash Royale in a few ways also tried to be an upgrade from Clash of Clans. For instance; to get an upgrade in Clash of Clans takes a few days or weeks, sometimes. Upgrades in Clash Royale takes only a few hours as players are given chests, opened every 3 to 8 hours. This concept did not only give supercell an edge, it also made it easier for monetization to happen; this is because matches are short within the game and players are allowed to save up as many chests in several ways, thus making it easy to gain momentum, but when a player gets to the point where he/she can no longer wait till the chests open; they can either wait for chests to pop or spend money on gems to get gratified, instantly!

Final Thoughts

The game like every other mobile app has a number of challenges, like a free-for-all to- play system that is not all rosy; but it does not take away the fact that it is one of the most exciting games the industry has witnessed in a while, as it totally offers a unique experience for gamers around the globe. So, we expect it to grow even bigger as the years go by.