| Human Profile | |
| Name: | Supercell Oy |
| Birthday: | May 14, 2010 (age 15 years), Born in Helsinki, Finland |
| Education: | Helsinki University of Technology (MS), Industrial Engineering Aalto University |
| Subscribers: | 1.09M |
| Views: | 46,298,467 |
| YouTube Revenue: | $46.3K - $231.5K |
| Videos: | 78 |
| Channel Created: | January 2011 |
Overview
Supercell is a Finnish mobile game developer founded in 2010, known for creating popular freemium titles such as Clash of Clans and Hay Day through an organizational model of small, autonomous development teams.
Latest News (Jan 8, 2026): A "Trader Special Event" has begun in Clash of Clans, offering discounted in-game items for three weeks starting January 6, 2026, with discounts varying by Town Hall level and focusing on progression items for lower levels and cosmetics for higher levels. Additionally, Brawl Stars released new store codes for January 2026, including ITSSUSHITIME, SAKURASPIKE!, and BOBAPARTYYYY, redeemable on the Supercell Store for in-game rewards, and offers 10 free gems for first-time logins within 7 days.
Foundation and Early Days
Supercell Oy was founded in Helsinki, Finland, on May 14, 2010. The six co-founders—Ilkka Paananen, Mikko Kodisoja, Petri Styrman, Lassi Leppinen, Visa Forstén, and Niko Derome—knew each other from prior work connections. Before establishing Supercell Oy, Paananen and Kodisoja had worked together at Sumea, a mobile game company that was later acquired by Digital Chocolate. Paananen’s experience there inspired him to create a new type of gaming company where small, independent teams, or “cells,” would have the autonomy to develop games without executive interference.
The company began in a 30-square-meter office in Espoo, Finland. Initial funding included a €250,000 investment from Paananen and Kodisoja, a €400,000 loan from Tekes, the Finnish technology innovation agency, and investments from Lifeline Ventures. This was followed by €750,000 in seed funding from firms including London Venture Partners and Initial Capital.
Initial Projects and Strategic Shift
The company’s debut game was Gunshine.net, a browser-based, massive multiplayer online role-playing game launched in 2011. The game initially attracted half a million monthly players but struggled to maintain long-term interest. Supercell Oy also faced challenges in adapting the game’s controls for mobile devices.
In November 2011, Supercell Oy discontinued Gunshine.net and made a strategic pivot to focus exclusively on games for mobile devices, adopting a “tablet first” strategy. This new direction led the company to cancel several other projects in development, including Pets vs Orcs and Tower, to concentrate on creating experiences optimized for touchscreens.
Breakthrough with Mobile Gaming
Supercell Oy’s shift to a mobile-first approach led to its first major successes. In May 2012, the company released Hay Day, a farming simulation game designed for touchscreen devices. This was Supercell Oy’s first game to be launched internationally.
Shortly after, in August 2012, the company launched the strategy game Clash of Clans. Developed in six months, the game quickly became a massive commercial success. Within three months, it was the most profitable app in the United States. By 2013, Hay Day and Clash of Clans were generating a combined revenue of approximately €2 million per day. According to App Annie, Clash of Clans was the world’s most profitable mobile game in 2013 and 2014.
Expansion and Major Titles
Following the success of its initial mobile titles, Supercell Oy continued to expand its portfolio. The company released the combat strategy game Boom Beach in March 2014. This was followed by Clash Royale in March 2016, a real-time strategy game that incorporates elements from collectible card and tower defense games. Brawl Stars, a multiplayer team-based shooter, was introduced in 2017 and saw a global release the following year.
The company maintains a development model of creating multiple games simultaneously, though many are terminated if they do not meet internal quality standards. In May 2024, Supercell Oy launched Squad Busters, its first new global title in over five years, which features characters from its other game franchises.
The company’s growth attracted significant investment. In 2013, the Japanese corporation SoftBank acquired a 51% stake in the company. In 2016, Chinese conglomerate Tencent acquired a majority stake in Supercell Oy, valuing the company at over €8.4 billion.
Company Philosophy and Impact
Supercell Oy operates on a freemium model, where its games are free to play and generate revenue through in-game microtransactions. The company’s core philosophy is to create games that players will enjoy for many years. This is achieved through an organizational structure of small, independent “cell” teams that are given the freedom and responsibility to develop and manage their games.
Headquartered in Helsinki, Supercell Oy remains active and has expanded with additional offices in cities such as San Francisco, Shanghai, and Seoul. The company is also known for its philanthropic efforts, including a significant employee-led donation to Finland’s New Children’s Hospital project.