In the cutthroat landscape of mobile gaming, keeping players engaged over time is a major challenge for developers. Supercell, the studio behind popular titles like Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars, has found a unique way to meet this challenge—leveraging LiveOps and crossovers with iconic intellectual properties (IPs). This strategy not only refreshes the player experience but also boosts engagement and monetization long after the game’s initial release.

The Power of IP Collaborations

Supercell has refined its approach to LiveOps, which focuses on keeping games fresh with ongoing updates and events. What sets Supercell apart is how they integrate major IPs—such as Godzilla, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Baby Shark—into their games. These collaborations don’t just offer cosmetic changes or new characters, but are carefully designed to enhance gameplay, creating fresh and exciting experiences for players.

For example, in Brawl Stars, the Godzilla crossover added a completely new game mode where players could control the massive monster, offering a fresh twist on the core gameplay. This kind of thoughtful integration keeps players excited and engaged throughout the event.

Choosing the Right IP

The success of these collaborations depends on selecting the right IPs that resonate with the game’s existing player base. Supercell’s team evaluates how well a franchise fits with the game’s style and player interests. For instance, the Godzilla crossover was tied to the movie Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, ensuring that the event was timely and appealing to a broader audience.

Enhancing Engagement and Monetization

These collaborations play a key role in driving player engagement and monetization. Supercell uses limited-time events to introduce exclusive skins and rewards, which incentivizes players to participate and make purchases. The limited nature of these events creates a sense of urgency, encouraging players to take part before the event ends.

Beyond the event, Supercell ensures players keep coming back by offering long-term, layered rewards systems and seasonal campaigns. For example, the Brawl Stars “Monster Egg” system ties into the Godzilla crossover, rewarding players even if they lose, and the limited-time nature of crossovers like SpongeBob SquarePants events introduces new themed skins and challenges throughout the season. These structured rewards encourage players to stick around and engage with the game long after the event ends, fostering loyalty.

A Long-Term Strategy

Supercell’s approach goes beyond short-term gains. The company’s design of ongoing events and rewards structures ensures that the impact of each collaboration extends beyond its initial release, keeping players invested for the long haul.

For example, Supercell’s Brawl Stars “Club Events” span multiple seasons, where players earn exclusive items and rewards through extended challenges tied to crossovers. The SpongeBob SquarePants event, for instance, wasn’t just a one-off—it integrated into seasonal campaigns, providing rewards and new challenges over several weeks. By continuing the event’s influence throughout the season, Supercell maintains consistent engagement with players, keeping the excitement alive long after the initial buzz.

Closing Words

Supercell’s use of IP collaborations and LiveOps has proven to be an effective way to keep games fresh, engaging, and profitable. By selecting the right IPs and integrating them thoughtfully into gameplay, Supercell has demonstrated that crossovers can breathe new life into games, creating both immediate and lasting player engagement.

For a deeper look into Supercell’s strategy and how they’ve successfully applied these collaborations in their games, you can refer to the full research article conducted by AppMagic’s Nikita Baikalov and Andrei Zubov.