Supercell’s Rare Admission: Squad Busters to Shut Down After Historic $100M Run

In a shocking first for the mobile gaming giant, Supercell has announced that Squad Busters will become the first game in the company’s history to be shut down after a global release. The colorful action game featuring beloved characters from Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, and other Supercell titles will receive its final update in December 2025 before servers permanently close sometime in mid-2026.

Squad Busters Timeline: Supercell’s Key Dates

“We Got It Wrong”: Supercell’s Honest Reflection

Supercell explained that the game launched in May 2024 and initially performed well, but it soon became clear that it did not meet the expectations placed on it. By early 2025, the development team faced a critical decision: accept mediocrity or take massive creative risks.

They chose the latter, introducing the Heroes update—the boldest game change in Supercell’s live game history, an attempt to redefine what Squad Busters could be. Despite these efforts and community support, the fundamental issues couldn’t be resolved.

According to Supercell’s official blog post, the team wanted to “move faster, take bold risks, and learn directly from a global audience instead of waiting years in a limited release.” The lesson learned? Sometimes speed isn’t everything.

A Failure That Made $100 Million?

Here’s the twist—Squad Busters earned over $100 million in its first seven months, and by May 2025, its downloads reached 60 million. For most studios, these numbers would signal success. For Supercell, they represented missed potential.

This perfectly illustrates Supercell’s infamous “kill culture,” where games that don’t meet their stratospheric standards get axed, even if they’re profitable. Remember when they canceled multiple projects before global launch? Squad Busters simply became the first casualty to make it past that gate.

What Happens to Players Now?

In-app purchases are no longer available as of October 30th. Players that made a purchase in the game in 2025 can request a transfer of their value to Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Clash of Clans, Hay Day or Boom Beach.

Additionally, dedicated players can claim free bundles through the Supercell Store based on total playtime—a classy move that shows Supercell values its community even in disappointment. These rewards become available November 10th and remain claimable until year’s end.

The Team’s Next Chapter

The Squad Busters team will be distributed among other projects. Some developers will join the teams of Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, and other existing Supercell titles, while others will work on new games.

This reallocation strategy ensures that talented developers don’t go to waste and can apply lessons learned to strengthen Supercell’s existing portfolio or create the next potential hit. If you’re curious about Supercell’s other successful titles, check out our Clash Royale strategy guide to see what longevity looks like in mobile gaming.

What This Means for Mobile Gaming

Squad Busters’ shutdown sends a clear message: even with massive budgets, celebrity endorsements, and a proven developer, live-service games face brutal competition. The mobile gaming market has matured to a point where “pretty good” doesn’t cut it anymore.

Supercell’s transparency about this failure deserves applause. In an industry often plagued by corporate spin, admitting “we were wrong” takes courage and sets a refreshing precedent for accountability.

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