Supercell’s CEO, Ilkka Paananen, took the stage to unveil the company’s latest financial report and share plans for addressing declines in revenue and profits. Key figures include €1.698 billion in revenue, representing a slight 4.2% decrease from 2022, and €580 million in EBITDA, down 8.2% from the previous year.

Paananen emphasized the need for changes to make Supercell a better games company, aiming to create memorable games with broad appeal. “Our dream is to create great games that as many people as possible play for years and that are remembered forever,” he explained. “We’re heavily inspired by companies like Nintendo. If you look at Supercell from that perspective there’s still a long way for us to go - we’re only 13 years old. That’s why we need to make these changes - to give us a better shot of making that ambitious dream.”

The plan involves focusing on existing player experiences and developing new hit games. Paananen outlined significant changes ahead, focusing on three principles: improving team composition, trusting teams to make decisions, and embracing radical transparency.

“In a start-up of 10 people, everyone can focus on the customer and the game. There are very few things that can distract you. But as a company grows, you end up using your time on other things,” Paananen noted. “Is there a way for us to avoid these distractions? What do you use time on that doesn’t make the game better? We need to reduce these.”

While Supercell’s future looks promising, Paananen remained tight-lipped about potential implications of Apple’s fee changes in Europe. “We’ve had a very open dialogue with Apple. But as with every conversation, we keep those conversations private,” offered Paananen in closing.

As Supercell charts its course for the future, the industry eagerly awaits the impact of these bold changes on one of gaming’s most influential companies.

Source: adapted from an article by Daniel Griffiths, Editor for PocketGamer.biz.