Clash of Clans developer Supercell reported an $810 million profit in 2017 earlier this week, having recorded it on a revenue of $2 billion generated without launching a single game over the entire year. The lack of a new release still impacted the overall performance of the Tencent-owned mobile game company which made $2.3 billion in revenue and $1 billion in profit in 2016. The development isn’t concerning for Supercell whose Chief Executive Officer Ilkka Paananen remains adamant the firm’s existing strategy aimed at long support cycles is its best bet for maintaining the sustainability of its operations in the long term. “Our vision is to create games for as many people as possible that are played for years and remembered forever,” the executive said earlier this week, adding how that approach to mobile development won’t change anytime soon, having already yielded significant success.
Tencent’s 84.3-percent stake in Supercell purchased in 2016 for $8.6 billion earned the Chinese tech giant a $615 million dividend last year, Supercell disclosed. The Helsinki-based developer tested only a single game over the course of the entire 2017, with its experimental creation debuting in the form of a twin-stick shooter Brawl Stars which soft-launched in select markets in mid-June. The beta version of the game is only available on iOS devices, though the company confirmed an Android version is in the making. No specific release window has yet been attached to the project which may still be scrapped by the company if its development doesn’t go according to plan. Supercell’s high product standards have already led to the cancelation of numerous mobile titles in recent years, according to previous reports.
The company has also been diversifying its portfolio by supporting independent studios in recent times, with its latest such move being announced last month as a $4.2 million investment in TrailMix Games, a mobile developer from London. Angry Birds Maker Rovio has been pursuing a similar strategy as the sales of its flagship product started declining in recent years, having committed millions of dollars to third-party developers and spin-off ventures like streaming service Hatch. Supercell also took a majority stake in London-based Space Ape Games last year, with that move setting it back $55 million. The acquired studio is best known for its work on Transformers: Earth Wars and Android arcade racer title Fastlane: Road to Revenge.