Supercell CEO Calls for Greater Risk-Taking as Mobile Gaming Faces Innovation Slump

Ilkka Paananen, CEO of Finnish mobile gaming giant Supercell, says the mobile gaming industry must take bolder risks to stay relevant in an increasingly crowded digital landscape.

Speaking from Supercell’s Helsinki headquarters, Paananen said the company – best known for blockbuster titles like Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars – is ramping up investment in new ideas, studios, and talent in a bid to “reimagine what mobile games might look like in 2030.”

“We need to take bigger risks,” Paananen said. “There’s too much reliance on old hits. We must create new kinds of game experiences.”

His comments come as the industry grapples with stagnation. According to Paananen, 60% of mobile gaming time last year was spent on games at least six years old, while only 10% was spent on titles launched within the past year.

Supercell has been feeling the pressure too. Its 2023 launch Squad Busters had a promising debut but failed to meet internal expectations. A new general manager has since been appointed, and the team is making sweeping changes to the game.

Another experimental title, Mo.co, a monster-hunting game launched earlier this year, has remained invite-only and relatively under the radar.

Neil Long, founder of Mobilegamer.biz, says the mobile games sector has become risk-averse, partly due to the high visibility and cost of failures. “You can spend years developing a game, and it’s gone in months if it doesn’t land,” he said, citing Activision’s recent decision to shut down its Call of Duty mobile spinoff.

Long also suggested that the era of massive launch campaigns might be fading. “Developers now often opt for soft launches and slow iterations based on user feedback. It’s a safer route,” he explained.

Despite setbacks, Supercell is continuing its long-term strategy of backing small, autonomous teams working on original ideas. Ten such teams are currently developing projects, each tasked with building games that could last a decade or more.

The company is also exploring new frontiers with artificial intelligence. Its AI Innovation Lab in Helsinki invites external creators to experiment with Supercell’s intellectual property, and a second lab is planned for San Francisco.

“We’ve already seen some promising internal prototypes using AI,” Paananen said. “It may take a few more years, but we believe AI will eventually lead to entirely new types of games.”

While Supercell’s recent launches haven’t matched the impact of its early hits, Paananen remains focused on long-term innovation rather than quick wins.

“Our goal isn’t just to make the next popular game,” he said. “It’s to create experiences that people will still want to play five or ten years from now – and that takes time, courage, and a willingness to fail.”