Supercell, the mobile game developer behind hits such as Clash of Clans and Clash Royale has announced that 2016 was the company’s best financial year yet. This is even more impressive considering the competition in the mobile game scene, especially from titans like Pokémon Go and Game of War.
"Despite tighter competition, this was the best year so far in financial terms. Clash Royale was a huge hit," Chief Executive Ilkka Paananen told The Star. “Huge hit” seems almost a bit underwhelming seeing as how Supercell had a revenue of $2.24 billion in 2016. That’s quite the haul, especially considering the developer only has 213 employees.
One of the reasons for the massive earnings is due to the company’s dedication to their games. "In the summer, when Pokémon Go was a huge hit, a taxi driver asked me what would be our counter-attack,” Paananen said. “I said there's no point in doing something against a competitor, we must only focus in doing what we do best, improve our games further."
While the going is good for now, Paananen knows the company cannot continue to coast by with what is already available. "Supercell is still making a lot of money... (but it) is also facing the challenge of how to follow up on its initial major hits," he said. To counter this, Supercell is working on a new game, but details are scarce. The only information known so far about the project is that the new game may be getting tested in select markets by the end of the year.
So what do you think? Are you shocked by how much money Supercell made in 2016? What do you think this new game will be like? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
