Supercell has shared a detailed look at how cancelled projects influence its approach to game development, arguing that failure plays a functional role in building long-term, sustainable games. In a recent internal presentation released publicly, the Helsinki-based studio discussed lessons learned from shutting down games, pausing experiments, and even cancelling major marketing campaigns.
Known for titles such as Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, and Hay Day, Supercell has not launched a new global hit since Brawl Stars in 2018. More recently, the company also shut down a live game for the first time with Squad Busters. Rather than treating these moments as setbacks to hide, Supercell frames them as part of its creative system, encouraging teams to analyze what went wrong and why.
The studio marks cancelled projects with a champagne toast. According to Supercell, the ritual is not about celebrating the failure itself, but about recognizing the courage required to try something uncertain and the learning that follows. By making failure survivable inside the company culture, Supercell believes developers become more willing to pursue ideas that are not guaranteed to work.
How Constraints Changed Development Decisions
One of the main lessons Supercell highlighted is that ambition without limits can slow production. The company used Clash Mini as an example of a project that spent years in incremental iteration without reaching strong momentum. With too much freedom, teams avoided difficult calls, and progress became gradual rather than decisive.
Once Supercell introduced strict boundaries on scope and time, development began to move faster. Those limits forced teams to commit to clearer priorities instead of endlessly adjusting features. The studio’s view is that constraints do not restrict creativity but instead shape it into something more focused and playable.
This approach reflects a broader trend in game development, where studios across mobile, live service, and even web3-adjacent projects are learning that unlimited experimentation often leads to extended production cycles rather than finished experiences.
Why Teams Need to Care About the Genre
Another lesson came from the cancellation of Hay Day Pop, a puzzle game connected to Supercell’s farming franchise. The project was shut down after the team concluded it did not genuinely connect with the genre it was building. Developers found themselves leaning heavily on performance data instead of intuition and player empathy.
Supercell explained that without a natural interest in the type of game being made, decisions become mechanical. Metrics may show what performs well short term, but they do not replace understanding why players enjoy a genre. For Supercell, long-term success depends on teams that actually enjoy the games they are designing, rather than simply following trends or dashboards.
That mindset applies not only to mobile games but also to newer sectors like web3 gaming, where experimentation is common but lasting engagement depends on designers understanding the audience they are serving.
Long-term Pride Over Short-term Visibility
Supercell also revisited a marketing decision tied to Clash of Clans. In 2013, the company cancelled an out-of-home advertising campaign after spending roughly $2 million on it. Leadership ultimately decided the creative direction was not something the team would feel proud of years later, even if it could have delivered immediate exposure.
Brand marketing lead Ryan described being frustrated by the decision, especially since Supercell promotes independence among its teams. At the time, he felt the cancellation contradicted that culture. Over time, however, Supercell came to view the move as protecting the long-term identity of the brand rather than chasing short-term effectiveness.
The company’s stance is that creative work should be judged not only by its immediate performance, but by whether the team would still stand behind it later. That idea extends from marketing into game design itself, where updates and systems are expected to support a game’s future, not just its next metric spike.
Creating a Culture Where Failure is Visible
Supercell’s broader goal is to remove fear from experimentation. By talking openly about cancelled projects, the company avoids treating them as silent losses. Instead, shutdowns are paired with conversations about what worked, what didn’t, and what should change next time.
According to Supercell, this shifts how developers behave day to day. Teams become more willing to test mechanics, challenge assumptions, and explore ideas that might not survive production. In a competitive market filled with live service updates, mobile releases, and emerging web3 concepts, the company sees this mindset as essential to staying relevant.
Rather than presenting failure as the end of development, Supercell treats it as a step inside the process. The studio’s position is that companies stagnate not because they take risks, but because they stop taking them.
Source: PocketGamer
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does Supercell cancel so many games?
Supercell cancels projects that do not meet long-term creative or quality goals. The company believes ending weak ideas early allows teams to focus on stronger concepts.
What games has Supercell recently cancelled?
Projects like Clash Mini and Hay Day Pop were shut down after internal review, and Supercell also closed the live game Squad Busters.
Why does Supercell celebrate cancelled projects?
The company uses a champagne toast to recognize the effort and learning behind a cancelled project, not to celebrate failure itself but to remove fear from experimentation.
How does failure help game development?
Supercell believes failure exposes design problems, encourages bolder decisions, and prevents teams from repeating the same mistakes in future games.
Does this approach affect web3 game development too?
Yes. Supercell’s philosophy applies broadly, including to web3-adjacent games, where experimentation is common but long-term success depends on focused design and genuine player understanding.
Has Supercell released a new global hit recently?
No. Supercell’s last major global launch was Brawl Stars in 2018, and the company continues experimenting internally to find its next long-term success.
