There’s no denying it: launching new mobile games is getting tougher by the day. That’s why publishers are exploring new strategies to maintain their growth—or at least hold their ground.
Some set up their own webstores, while others acquire already successful titles, yet one of the most readily available and cost-effective approaches remains the focus on LiveOps. Moreover, one of the best ways to boost the game’s revenue with content updates is by integrating famous franchises.
Many companies have shown how transformative a strong LiveOps strategy can be, but one stands out. When most thought Brawl Stars had reached its peak, Supercell took the game to new revenue heights, proving that a well-executed, creatively structured updates strategy can breathe fresh life into established titles.
Alongside a host of changes—like revamped progression, monetization, and event schedule—Supercell has recently doubled down on IP collaborations for Brawl Stars like never before. And not only for Brawl Stars! Today, the company integrates popular franchises across almost all of its games. In 2024 alone, the studio partnered with Transformers, Godzilla, SpongeBob SquarePants, and even Baby Shark.
That is why we decided to take a closer look at how the company manages its IP collaborations. From this analysis, you’ll find answers to the following questions:
- How does Supercell select IPs that resonate with different player demographics?
- What strategies do they use to ensure these collaborations fit naturally into the gameplay rather than feel forced?
- What unique mechanics or monetization methods are introduced during these collaborations to enhance the player experience?
- How do such crossovers influence a game’s performance?
These questions are merely setting the pace for our exploration. We’ll examine all major Supercell games and at least eight collaborations to uncover the strategies behind their success. However, we’ll start by diving deep into one of Supercell’s biggest partnerships to see just how meticulous they are with crossovers.
Brawl Stars: Godzilla-sized Events
It all begins with choosing the right IP. To do so, developers need to consider various factors, such as the demographics of the franchise’s core audience, how well the IP aligns with the spirit of the game, and its relevance and the surrounding context. Let’s have a look at the Godzilla collaboration. Why was this franchise chosen? We have a few ideas!
First, this is a cross-generational IP that is recognized and loved worldwide. Originally coming from Japan, the story about giant dinosaurs destroying the cities saw at least five Western adaptations: the first one came out in 1998, and the last one—well, this year!
That is right: the collaboration was co-timed with the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in May 2024, and the event ran alongside the movie premiere. Considering the film’s impressive box office performance—grossing over $570M+ worldwide—the hunch to put trust in Godzilla was right!
Even if the IP has broad appeal and maximum relevance, though, the real challenge lies in implementing these collaborations naturally, ensuring they fit and enrich the gameplay. This is the part where Supercell does especially well, so we will dedicate the rest of this first section to analyzing the way they immerse their players in the crossover and make it profitable!
The best way to start is to turn to the event in our LiveOps & Updates Calendar—specifically, the library of all the events Brawl Stars (and 190+ other games) has had over the last year at least.
The +136% revenue spike that came right after is impressive! But look closer at the revenue chart before and after the spike—and see how it is consistently higher while the events are on.
Yes, this is the time to address how complex and diverse the Godzilla-themed events grid is. All in all, the company launched seven simultaneous events:
- Godzilla City Smash: A special battle mode with two teams of three participants focused on base defense and destruction within a limited time. The twist? One team member could use a special item at the respawn point to transform into Godzilla!
- Godzilla Egg Breakers: For participating in Godzilla City Smash mode, players opened Monster Eggs—event gacha items with rewards, including event exclusives.
- Carton: There was a carton with six slots to be filled with Monster Eggs awarded for winning in Godzilla City Smash; in fact, you could also fill these slots with stars earned for merely participating in the main mode (even if you lost!). Once the carton was full, players could grab all the collectibles at once.
- Free Monster Eggs: Players could claim Monster Eggs in the Shop for free, encouraging more participation in event activities.
- Mutations: Players could unlock a set of mutations by opening Monster Eggs, each linked to specific characters, offering something fresh to the gameplay.
- Free Brawler: Buzz, one of the classic characters, was available as a free reward in the Shop, and rewards for the events included unique skins for him.
- Season 26 Pass: The new season pass was entirely themed around Godzilla, featuring exclusive rewards and content aligned with the event.
From the short descriptions we provided, you can already see how interconnected these events are: all of them are designed to create one immersive and cohesive experience. So, let’s see how they do it!
First, we must recognize just how serious Supercell was about this collaboration. Launching a new season is always a big deal in terms of both player experience and game economy. Dedicating an entire season to Godzilla reflects Supercell’s confidence in the chosen IP and its appeal to players.
Additionally, they boosted the event’s initial impact by offering a free Brawler, creating strong, positive first impressions. And it’s not just any Brawler—they chose Buzz, who was introduced in September 2021 and is a great reward for both active and returning players. Buzz has maintained his popularity, frequently appearing in top-tier lists, making him the ideal choice to engage the community!
So, the season rolls out with a compelling IP and a free Brawler—setting the stage with immediate excitement. But what’s the next step? Rewarding players and building long-term motivation. Here, Supercell made a simple but brilliant move: they offered a skin specifically for the character they had just gifted to their players.
Since many players buy the season pass right after it launches, the first few days present a great opportunity window to drive conversion to payments. Offering a skin for a newly acquired Brawler is a basic but clever strategy: players who have just unlocked Buzz are excited about the brand new experience and are likely to play him (and see others playing!) frequently. At that point, a unique Godzilla-themed skin becomes an especially strong motivator!
Plus, this setup ensures that the reward feels relevant and satisfying for all types of players. There’s no frustration from getting a skin for a character you don’t own or don’t play—Buzz is right there, ready for action. Could they up it yet another notch? They actually did: there was an additional Buzz skin available as a club reward!
Once the rewards were set, it was time to add something fresh to the gameplay, and Supercell did just that by introducing Godzilla City Smash: a 3v3 base destruction mode with two unique twists that make it hit so different.
First, at the start of the game, each team has a consumable at their base that transforms one of the players into Godzilla! Tons of HP, massive damage with each hit, and a powerful ultimate—what else would you expect from a giant dinosaur? Actually, there’s more: Godzilla can destroy buildings!
This brings us to the second twist: players must destroy building sets scattered about the map. This feels like a clever spin on Heist—a classic Brawl Stars mode where teams focus on destroying the opponent’s safe while defending their own. However, unlike the safe, buildings are spread throughout the map, adding a new layer of dynamism to the gameplay.
And, as you’ve guessed, Godzilla is the most effective Brawler in destroying those buildings, which adds a strategic nuance. What makes it even more exciting is that the buildings create natural terraces and cover points, providing strategic shelter for non-Godzilla players battling the rampaging dinosaurs!
What’s the lesson here? It’s smart to build on what you already have. Not only is the base destruction mechanic inspired by the famous Heist mode, but the whole concept of transforming one player into a giant powerhouse has been used by Supercell in past events like Big Game, where one of the players would turn into a giant Brawler!
Wait, doesn’t it feel unfair that the two non-Godzilla players aren’t having as much fun in Godzilla City Smash mode? It could have been so if it weren’t for Mutations! These were temporary effects that lasted throughout the entire season, granting unique abilities to some of the players’ Brawlers.
Each Mutation adds new power-ups like increased speed, damage boosts, or special ultimate boosts, like the one allowing Penny to launch two cannons instead of one. These extra abilities make sure everyone has an impactful role, keeping the gameplay dynamic and fun for all, even if you stand against the very Godzilla!
What if the players aren’t into Godzilla City Smash? Not a problem. Mutations work across various game modes, and these modes change throughout the week. So, if players want to use their Mutations, they have to engage in multiple different modes, which can help them tap into new experiences and increase long-term engagement. The Mutations mechanic is even more enticing because it’s tied to a special gacha system introduced just for this event.
Players collect Monster Eggs through various event activities, each containing exclusive event-themed rewards, including Mutations. But it’s not as easy as it sounds! First, players need to win in Godzilla City Smash mode to earn an egg. Second, to open said egg, they must fill a carton that holds six of them—and only then can they open them all at once.
To keep players engaged, even in losses, Supercell offers rewards for simply participating in the main mode. If a player loses, they receive a star that can fill the carton as well, though these stars don’t include special event-themed rewards—instead, they function as regular Star Drops, available permanently.
Once the carton is full, players can open all the collectibles at once, unlocking Godzilla-themed emotes, premium resources like Power Points and Gems, and other rewards. This gacha system not only encourages players to participate in the main event but also motivates them to keep coming back. After a certain period, the carton resets and can be filled again from scratch, which effectively boosts short-term retention by giving players a reason to re-engage regularly.
Wow, what a combination of mechanics, right? But that’s not all: Supercell didn’t overlook the social aspect, adding a community event specifically for the Clubs. In this event, Club members collectively gather event points to unlock a major IP-themed reward.
The twist? Progress in the Club event is driven by opening gacha pulls, which incentivizes both paid and free methods of obtaining gacha items. This approach not only adds a collaborative goal for players but also encourages active participation in the gacha system, bringing Clubs together to earn the ultimate reward.
A lot, huh? That’s why, when creating such a complex campaign, it’s essential not to let all that effort go to waste. While there’s an obvious short-term revenue boost, these efforts can—and should—pay off in the long run. And that’s exactly what Supercell is aiming for with the SpongeBob SquarePants campaign.
Sure, the SpongeBob event may have unique features, but the overall vibe and structure borrow a lot from Godzilla City Smash. Both campaigns span an entire season dedicated to the crossover, complete with themed power-ups, special challenges, and exclusive collectibles that players can use to unlock event-specific skins and items. This familiar setup keeps things fresh without reinventing the wheel, allowing Supercell to create excitement and engagement efficiently.
That’s why we won’t focus much on the SpongeBob collaboration and move straight on to the key insights from this impressive enterprise:
- Select Resonant and Relevant IPs: Choose an IP that aligns with both the game style and audience interests to maximize engagement and impact.
- Celebrate with a Free Gift: Launch the event with a valuable, free reward to boost initial engagement and set a positive tone for the collaboration.
- Make Rewards Relevant: Ensure rewards are immediately useful, keeping players satisfied and motivated without frustration.
- Add New Monetization Mechanics: An event is the perfect time to introduce new monetization verticals. The specialty of the moment and the time-limited nature of those events generate FOMO and motivate spending!
- Build on What You Do Best: Reinvent familiar mechanics with a twist. This approach allows for innovative yet accessible gameplay that resonates with players.
- Involve the Community with Shared Goals: Create collaborative, Club-based goals tied to event progress, fostering a strong sense of community and encouraging both free and paid participation
And the most important point to note: make your collaboration a memorable experience. Sometimes it is great to have your collab IP influence every corner of the game—from design elements and special rewards to gameplay innovations and new modes. This cohesive approach makes the event truly unforgettable!
But it doesn’t mean that producing such large campaigns is the only way of collaborating with IPs. Supercell doesn’t limit itself to just one single form of IP integrations and offers many more smaller franchise collaborations!
Supercell: Across the IP-Verse
Before moving on to collaborations from the company’s other games, let’s finish with Brawl Stars and briefly look through other collaborations the game has.
Brawl Stars: John Cena, Baby Shark, and… Subway Surfers?
Remember the SpongeBob collab from earlier? Well, it was not the only one that week! Closer to the weekend, there was another big name appearing in the game, and the name was… John Cena!!! The weekend event, lasting just three days, gave players a fun mini-challenge where they could interact with a special game mode that included wrestling-themed objectives inspired by Cena’s iconic moves.
But could a big name like Cena get overshadowed by SpongeBob SquarePants? Not at all! First, Cena is too awesome for that. Second, by the time Cena’s event started, players were already familiar with the SpongeBob content, so nothing felt too overwhelming. At the same time, launching Cena’s event over the weekend also helped Supercell maximize engagement during the game’s most active days!
Another collaboration that definitely made waves was Baby Shark—the most popular song and music video on YouTube. But how can a game collaborate with a song? Through catchy tunes, of course!
There were, unsurprisingly, exclusive skins and animations for El Primo, along with special animated videos on both the Brawl Stars and the Baby Shark YouTube channels, which added extra hype to the event. But the real standout? Hearing the catchiest song in the world right from the main menu as it set the perfect vibe every time players logged in!
Now that we’ve ruined your day by getting Baby Shark stuck in your head, let’s talk about the collaboration that caught the eye of Brawl Stars’ most dedicated players: the Subway Surfers crossover… on social media! The official account of Subway Surfers on X teased a possible crossover and caused a huge buzz around both fandoms! While the reply from Brawl Stars made it all even more viral.
Clash of Collabs: Chess, UFC, and Football
While Clash Royale and Clash of Clans haven’t ventured into IP collaborations as extensively as Brawl Stars, the recent shift in Supercell’s strategy hasn’t left these games unaffected. Unlike Brawl Stars, however, collaborations in the Clash universe lean toward the more “mature” audience, aligning with the greater average age of their players.
Take, for example, the September 2024 UFC collaboration in Clash Royale. This crossover brought about UFC-inspired skins and unique arenas for PvP battles. With the game’s 75% male audience and the competitive, strategic nature of martial arts, this partnership felt like a natural fit, enhancing the game’s competitive and tactical experience.
Meanwhile, Clash of Clans went in a different direction with its own sports collaboration. In May 2024, the game introduced Erling Haaland from Manchester City F.C. as the Barbarian King—marking the first time ever that a real-life figure was brought to life in the game.
Not as content-extensive as some of the previous collaborations? Maybe. But we’ve saved the best for last! Check this out: back in September 2023, both Clash Royale and Clash of Clans unveiled one of their truly unique crossovers—a partnership with Chess.com.
This crossover brought something new for all three participating parties! Let’s start with the games and have a look at what they did.
In Clash Royale, there were:
- Chess Royale Game Mode: The arena transformed into a live chessboard, challenging players to think strategically and apply chess tactics within the Clash Royale framework.
- Chess-Themed Cosmetics: Players could claim a chess-inspired tower skin and a new arena design in the Path of Legends, giving the game a tactical, chess-like esthetic that perfectly suited the season’s theme.
- Exclusive Emotes: Chess-themed emotes were introduced, letting players add chessboard-inspired expressions to their interactions and bringing a unique flavor to the gameplay.
Clash of Clans offered:
- Chess-Themed Skins and Decorations: Players could customize their villages with chess-inspired skins, like the chessboard-themed base layout and the king and queen pieces modeled after chess icons.
- Special Chess Challenge: This limited-time challenge let players battle through a chessboard-inspired obstacle course, with exclusive rewards like chess-themed decorations and collectible items for completing it.
- Chess Strategy Events: A series of in-game events encouraged players to apply strategy akin to chess, rewarding them with items like chessboard sceneries and statues resembling the king and queen pieces.
This collaboration offered a fresh perspective on familiar gameplay, highlighting the tactical similarities between Clash games and chess.
On the one hand, this comparison with arguably the world’s most intellectual game can be flattering for Clash players, adding a new layer of pride and depth to their experience. On the other hand, it helped showcase the competitive and fun aspects of chess itself, which likely boosted Chess.com’s appeal and promotion.
Chess.com, in turn, introduced a range of features that helped bring Clash fans into the world of chess:
- Clash-Themed Bots: AI bots modeled after Clash characters let users face off against opponents inspired by Clash Royale and Clash of Clans, each with their own unique personality.
- Exclusive Clubs and Tournaments: Chess.com hosted dedicated clubs and special Chess Clash tournaments, creating spaces for players from both communities to interact, compete, and celebrate the crossover.
- Chess Lessons with a Twist: For players new to chess, Chess.com offered Clash-themed beginner lessons, making chess tactics easy to understand for mobile gamers looking to explore the chessboard.
Looking at both Supercell and Chess.com, it is clear that there is a common goal: to reach each other’s audiences by tapping into shared motivations and love for tactics and competition.
We love this case for how unique it is. Often compared to chess for its tactical depth, Clash Royale was the perfect fit for the world’s largest chess website, while Clash of Clans added an extra layer of excitement, creating a true event feel with dedicated streams and leagues to amplify the experience.
Plus, the idea of two different Supercell games collaborating together is fantastic. Wish we could see more of the Supercell games’ crossovers. Actually, hold on a second…
Squad Busters: Transformers and… Supercell!
Let’s start with the basics. Squad Busters is a crossover of all of Supercell’s original IPs—a grand celebration of everything the Finland-based company has built over the years. The game seamlessly integrates characters, monsters, currencies, and design elements from Brawl Stars, Hay Day, and both of the Clash games, creating a unified Supercell universe.
But it doesn’t mean that this universe is unwelcoming to other franchises! The game is less than half a year old, but it has already featured a major Transformers collaboration.
In this special event, iconic characters Optimus Prime and Elita-1 joined the roster, available to players even after the event’s end. Alongside new skins and themed cosmetics, players could unlock these heroes through sequential Transformers events, earning points in core gameplay and opening a dedicated gacha.
The event was two weeks long, with each week dedicated to one of the new characters. First, players had the chance to unlock and level up Optimus Prime by participating in core gameplay challenges and earning event points.
Then, in the second week, Elita-1 took center stage, following the same structure. Each event allowed players to progressively unlock the characters through milestones, adding depth and excitement to the core gameplay experience.
The Transformers collaboration in Squad Busters coincided with the release of the animated film Transformers One, which premiered in September 2024.
Though the film underperformed at the box office, Transformers is a franchise beloved by multiple generations (much like Godzilla and SpongeBob SquarePants). This highlights Supercell’s smart approach to IP selection, tapping into brands with cross-generational appeal that resonate widely with players.
Our LiveOps & Updates Calendar shows that the event spiked Squad Busters’ revenue by 85%, indicating Supercell’s knack for meaningful IP integrations—even in a game that’s still fresh on the market.
The event also aligned with a major update that brought significant changes to the game economy and progression. While we won’t dive into the update details here, it’s worth noting how big collabs like this can be an excellent way to bring players back. Events of this kind give former players a reason to jump back in, check out the new features and give the game another shot.
Into the IP-verse: Key Lessons
Supercell’s approach to IP collaborations goes far beyond simple one-off events. Each partnership is meticulously crafted to enhance player experience, build community, and drive both short- and long-term engagement. Here are the key lessons we can draw from Supercell’s successful strategy:
- Strategic IP selection: Supercell carefully picks IPs that resonate with its audience. The biggest collaborations include cross-generational franchises that fit seamlessly into the game’s themes, appealing to a broad range of players.
- Deep IP integration: Partnerships like Godzilla, SpongeBob, and Chess.com don’t just add surface-level content—they reach into the key mechanics and major monetization events, like the season pass. Supercell’s confidence in these IPs enables them to take bold, impactful steps.
- Creating long-term value: Beyond the immediate buzz, Supercell’s IP events are designed for lasting engagement. From free Brawlers to exclusive skins and Club-based challenges, these additions can easily keep players engaged well beyond the event.
- Leveraging the social aspect: By introducing features like Club-based goals and exclusive IP-themed items, Supercell builds a sense of community, encouraging teamwork and maximizing player enjoyment of each event.
- Experimental scale: Not every event has to be a grand campaign. Smaller weekend collaborations can be just as effective, adding variety and excitement without the commitment of a large-scale event.
Enjoyed the read? Check out other deconstructions by AppMagic experts, including lessons from Last War and Whiteout Survival, a in-depth look at Squad Busters after its first month on the market, and a deep dive into one of the most effective events in Monopoly GO!.
