Clash Royale and Boom Beach developer Supercell has opened a brand new studio in North America. The studio will work on both existing and new IPs, and could develop games for platforms other than mobile, although it will primarily work on mobile development.
What do we know about the new Supercell studio?
This news comes to us from the official Supercell website. In an announcement on the site, the North American Supercell general manager Ryan Wener confirms that the studio is opening a new wing which will focus on creating "games you might not expect". These titles will be ambitious, and the team will have the freedom to explore "unique gameplay or progression system[s]" for its new titles.
Perhaps most interestingly, Wener says the new studio will have the freedom to create games either using existing Supercell IPs or by creating new ones. The only stipulation is that the team be "truly ambitious"; if the game wants to use the Brawl Stars or Clash IPs, or work on a spinoff for an existing game like Everdale, it can, but if the team wants to create something brand new, the freedom will be there to do that as well.
What will the structure of the new Supercell studio be?
In the post on the Supercell website, Wener says he and the studio are looking for a "core founding team" to act as the kernel for the new Supercell outfit. Rather than any particular individual, Supercell wants to build the new studio around a team, whether that be a duo, trio, or a single person who knows what developers they want to recruit. In essence, Wener describes the new studio as a "startup within Supercell".
In terms of working location, Wener says the new Supercell studio will be "flexible". Employees will have the opportunity either to co-locate in the studio's San Francisco HQ or "elsewhere in North America", but will also have the option of remote working if preferred. Wener and Supercell are also open to some combination of the two if it's right for the team. It sounds like there's a lot of space for discussion, so if this sounds like something you're interested in, you can email Wener at the Supercell North American studio to get the ball rolling.
Supercell and parent company Tencent are having an interesting time right now. On the one hand, Tencent was ordered to pay mobile developer Gree damages to the tune of $92.2 million for patent infringement earlier this year. On the other, however, a class-action lawsuit alleging that Clash Royale's loot boxes promote gambling was thrown out by a California judge in September. Here's hoping that the new Supercell studio finds a way to navigate this legal minefield going forward.
Are you looking forward to seeing what form the new Supercell studio takes? Let us know in the comments below!
