Supercell eyes new gamer groups in battle for consumers' free time
Technology
Supercell eyes new gamer groups in battle for consumers' free time
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Helsinki-based video game developer Supercell is seeking to attract new groups of players with its first product launch in more than five years, Chief Executive Ilkka Paananen said, as mobile games face increasing competition from other entertainment for people's free time.
Majority-owned by China's Tencent, Supercell has previously put out five games, including Clash of Clans, one of the world's most popular mobile games, which it said has brought in more than $10 billion in revenue for the company since its launch in 2012.
While revenue from Supercell's five previous games has continued to grow this year, Paananen said the company's goal was to attract new players by making games that can entertain anyone, regardless of their age and gender.
"At Supercell, we want to create games that as many people as possible play for as long as possible, so that they would become part of gaming history," Paananen said.
In its new game, Squad Busters, the company sees potential for attracting new players due to its easy, one-thumb gameplay.
"Gaming truly belongs to everyone," he said.
The vast majority of mobile games are free to download and play, while game makers collect revenue from in-app purchases that are not compulsory but make progress easier within the game.
"It's not a surprise that the older you are, the more likely you are to make those purchases," Paananen said, noting it had become far more difficult to build a game that has the potential to become a global hit over the past 10 years.
"Competition is not only tougher within the game industry but we also compete for people's free time," he said, referring to the rapid growth in entertainment offerings, ranging from the likes of Netflix series to audio and social media content such as TikTok videos.
