📈 Squad Busters Busts a Move to #1 Worldwide Downloads
Hey GameMakers,
Last week, Supercell’s new game Squad Busters launched globally and naturally hit #1 global downloads. While there doesn’t seem to be much initial monetization, hopefully, the game can achieve good revenue performance for the company over time.
I’m skeptical that this game will achieve Clash or Brawl Stars levels of business performance, but it is undoubtedly well-polished and has Supercell quality.
Here are some key data points for the game:
Soft Launch: April 23, 2024
Global Launch: May 29, 2024.
Cumulative Downloads: 34.1M
Cumulative Net Revenue: $2.5M
In other market data:
Squad Busters hits #1 worldwide downloads.
Royal Match continues its death grip on #1 worldwide revenue.
Dungeon & Fighter Mobile and last week’s featured game, Wuthering Waves, cracked the Top 10 worldwide revenue.
Trials of Cold Steel: NW hits #3 downloads for the US.
Dungeon & Fighter Mobile is now #1 revenue for China.
Read more below for more information, including a more in-depth coverage of Squad Busters!
Dead by Daylight Maker Behaviour Announces Layoffs - News on Behaviour Interactive's second round of layoffs this year amidst the ongoing industry downturn. (Engadget | Game Developer)
Most Played Games in 2024 - A ranking of the most played games this year, with "PUBG," "Fortnite," and "Roblox" topping the list. (Twinfinite)
The 10 Most Anticipated Video Games of 2024 - Highlights of upcoming games like "The Wolf Among Us 2," "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024," and "Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth." (Inverse)
How AI is changing video game development forever - AI is revolutionizing game development with applications in animation, cheat detection, and behavior management. Key tools include Unity's motion matching and Microsoft's AI safety measures. (Eurogamer)
PlayStation Studios: All Sony First-Party Developers and What They’re Working On - Overview of Sony's first-party studios’ game projects, including major upcoming titles and ongoing developments across the PlayStation platform. (Push Square)
Discord's Next Chapter - This article outlines Discord's future plans, focusing on enhancing user experience, introducing new features, and maintaining a strong community-oriented platform. (Discord)
Mobile accounts for 49% of the global games market share despite a 2% revenue dip - The mobile gaming sector maintains a dominant position, representing nearly half of the global games market. However, it experienced a 2% decline in revenue, reflecting broader industry trends. (Pocket Gamer)
Zynga launches Star Wars: Hunters on Nintendo Switch, mobile devices - Zynga's new game "Star Wars: Hunters" is now available on Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, featuring team-based multiplayer battles set in the Star Wars universe. (Morningstar)
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Engagement payout formula update July 2024 - Fortnite's engagement payout formula is being updated in July 2024, aiming to reward creators for their contributions better. The new formula will consider player retention and engagement factors. (Fortnite)
Top 10 Mobile Charts (Worldwide, US, and China)
Unsurprisingly, Supercell’s latest globally launched game, Squad Busters, hits #1 Downloads.
Royal Match continues its death grip on #1 Revenue.
Dungeon & Fighter Mobile and last week’s featured game, Wuthering Waves, cracked Top 10 Revenue.
What the heck? Trails of Cold Steel: NW hit Trails of Cold Steel is an old-school PSP game. Trails of Cold Steel: NW is based on the old PSP “Trails” series, but more recently relevant, “The Legend of Heroes of Cold Steel - Northern War” was an anime series launched last year based on the same series.
Dungeon & Fighter Mobile is now #1 Revenue for China.
Top 10 Mobile Publishers
You wonder if Supercell was strongly motivated to launch Squad Busters globally because of this list. Was there extra pressure on Supercell to launch to get them that little extra push required to get them back on this list?
Top 10 Steam Games
"Soulmask," at #6 Top Steam Revenue, is a new open-world survival crafting game developed by CampFire Studio and published by Qooland Games. It was released into Early Access on May 31, 2024.
Call of Duty at #4 spiked, likely due to significant sales from the recent Call of Duty Franchise Sale event and hype around the worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
“COD: Modern Warfare III - BlackCell” is the Season 4 premium battle pass purchase for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III for $29.99.
🔦 Will Squad Busters Achieve the Success of Other Supercell Games?
Supercell's new mobile game, Squad Busters, is generating a lot of buzz due to its unique gameplay and the high expectations for any game from the company.
Overview
Title: Squad Busters
Developer: Supercell
Genre: Action, Strategy, Multiplayer
Platform: Mobile (iOS and Android)
Gameplay
Core Concept: The game's primary objective is to collect resources and eliminate opponents while navigating various maps. Players aim to build and lead a squad of characters with unique abilities and stats to outmaneuver and outfight their opponents.
IP: Squad Busters features a mix of characters from Supercell's well-known games, such as Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, Boom Beach, and more. Players can create squads composed of these characters.
Squad Composition: Players can build and customize their squads with characters that have unique abilities and stats, allowing for strategic gameplay and diverse team configurations.
Features
Character Variety: The game includes a wide array of characters from different Supercell games, each bringing their signature skills and abilities.
Maps and Modes: Various maps and game modes provide different challenges and strategic opportunities, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.
Upgrades and Progression: Players can upgrade their characters and squads, unlocking new abilities and improving stats to become more formidable in battle.
Multiplayer Focus: The game emphasizes multiplayer interactions through cooperative gameplay or competitive matches.
Release and Availability
Soft Launch: April 23, 2024
Regions: Canada, Spain, Mexico, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Singapore, and Finland.
Updates: Four updates in the period before the global launch.
Official Launch: May 29, 2024.
Market Data (Sensor Tower)
Although we’re only about 5 days into launch since the global launch on May 29, 2024, the game has catapulted to #1 downloads.
Market data based on Sensor Tower estimates for May 29, 2024 - June 3, 2024:
Cumulative Downloads: 34.1M
Android: 16.5M
iOS: 17.6M
Cumulative Net Revenue: $2.5M
Android: $0.4M
iOS: $2.1M
Looking at the data geographically, we see heavy revenue generation from Western countries, especially the United States.
Reception
Top 3 Most Positive Comments About Squad Busters
Immersive and Intuitive Gameplay: Players appreciate the game's immersive and intuitive nature, highlighting that it stands up to the high standards of Supercell's other popular titles. One reviewer mentioned that the game is very entertaining, with smooth controls and fun gameplay, and expressed excitement about its future potential (JustUseApp).
Strategic and Fun: Many users find Squad Busters to be a strategic and enjoyable game. They praise the variety of unit types and evolution paths, which add depth and strategy to the gameplay. Including modifier items and the ability to unlock and upgrade various characters keep the game engaging and fun (TouchArcade).
Positive Surprise: Some players who were initially skeptical were pleasantly surprised by the game's balance between RNG and skill. They appreciate the unique character abilities and the interesting leveling system, which involves evolving characters from babies to powerful warriors. This aspect of the game has been highlighted as a refreshing change from typical stat upgrades (JustUseApp) (TouchArcade).
Top 3 Most Negative Comments About Squad Busters
Lack of Depth: A common criticism is the perceived lack of depth in gameplay. Some players feel that the game primarily involves walking around and occasionally using a single spell, with little control over other actions. This simplicity has led to disappointment among those expecting more complex mechanics (JustUseApp).
Pay-to-Win Elements: Several reviews express concern over the game's reliance on in-app purchases to upgrade characters and gain competitive advantages. This pay-to-win aspect has been a major point of frustration for players who prefer skill-based progression over financial investment determining success (JustUseApp).
Repetitive and Unoriginal: Some users have found the gameplay repetitive and unoriginal, comparing it unfavorably to other mobile games. Collecting gems by defeating monsters is seen as uninnovative, and the automated actions during battles have been criticized for reducing player engagement and skill requirements (Gfinity Esports).
Outlook
We can always count on Supercell for great game products of very high quality and polish. While I’m not a bit skeptical of Squad Busters (just my personal take), I have high hopes this can be another successful game for them, and I hope it helps them get back to being a Top 10 mobile games publisher.
It’s still too early to make a call on the game, but even if it succeeds, my intuition suggests Squad Busters will likely not be as successful as their other Supercell hit games.