Supercell’s Clash Royale has more than exceeded expectations. According to Sensor Tower, whose Store Intelligence software provides analytics and data on earnings and the market’s movement in the iOS App Store and Google Play, Clash Royale has already raked in over $2 billion in revenue since it launched. It’s second only to its fellow Supercell counterpart, Clash of Clans, which has made over $6 billion in its lifetime. Clash Royale‘s numbers are only expected to grow in the near future owing to several key factors.
(1) Supercell has a lock on the mobile gaming market
Make no mistake about it. Having two extremely profitable games for mobile devices means that Supercell has a stranglehold on this sector of the gaming industry. Very few games can offer the amount of fun, challenge, cooperation, and competition that Clash of Clans and Clash Royale bring. Because both games are free, there are no barriers to entry, and everyone can enjoy it at their leisure. Once they’ve become fully invested in these titles, that’s when they start spending.
Supercell has followed this formula to a T and their expertise shows. Player spending on mobile games has seen an upward trend, and the Clash Royale and Clash of Clans franchises took $40 million and $70 million, respectively, last May. It’s no wonder why Chinese industry mega-titan Tencent bought a controlling share in Supercell two years ago. That’s valued at $8.5 billion dollars and almost an 85 percent share in the company.
(2) Mobile is on the rise, and esports is along for the ride
Previously, we’ve cited how mobile gaming has become an almost daily or hourly pastime among casual gamers. It’s the fact that you can play a video game on-the-go. Whether you’re traveling, bored in the office, or on the toilet, you have a form of entertainment with you all the time.
Business is booming. Companies such as Gamelynx provide additional competition in mobile games. Meanwhile, others such as Skillz, Inc. create a central hub that allows players to start their own contests. And yes, betting is involved as well, which is why Skillz is on pace to make $200 million in revenue by next year.
(3) Clash Royale is so big, it’s even in the Asian Games
You know you’ve made it big when a video game becomes a featured demonstration sport in the 2018 Asian Games. Supercell knows that, and its fan base knows that as well. Clash Royale will be joining StarCraft II, Hearthstone, League of Legends, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Arena of Valor as part of the sporting event which will be held in Indonesia. Yes, playing games on your phone is now a legitimate featured sport, albeit a demonstration, in Asia’s top sporting event.
(4) The Clash Royale League and esports scene
Finally, it’s having your own esports league. Supercell’s Clash Royale League is filled with a whopping 36 international teams. The top organizations from around the world have fielded their squads. Cloud9 are in it, and so are SK Gaming. Team Solo Mid, Counter Logic Gaming, and many more are part of the league. They will battle it out for a $1 million prize pool.
From smaller prize pools and tournaments, the game’s competitive esports scene has evolved. Naturally, so did its prize pool. For instance, the North American and European Clash Royale Crown Fall Championships had $65,000 and $50,000 prize pools respectively. As for the 2017 World Championship, the prize pool went up to $400,000. The winner of the Crown, SergioRamos, received $150,000 in winnings. Here’s his lucky deck which gave him the edge in the competition.
All in all, the winning formula which Supercell kickstarted with Clash of Clans is now present in the esports extravaganza that is Clash Royale. As cited by Sensor Tower, the game is still going strong. It’s highly unlikely to stop anytime soon.
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