Roger's Blog

Clash Royale makes my list for one simple reason: I have invested more time and money into it than any other game. 

And it’s not even close. Over nine years, I’ve become a true Clash Royale fan, playing daily without fail. Some might call me crazy—especially my wife—for dedicating so many hours (and dollars) to a single game. But to me, the time spent is worth every penny. The sheer quality of the experience keeps me coming back, day after day.

I’ve long been a huge admirer of Supercell. They’re one of the rare developers willing to take a game to 99% completion but still scrap it if it’s not good enough. They invest resources based on trust in their teams to “find the fun,” giving them the freedom and time to iterate. That approach has paid off in a massive way, leading to some of the most successful mobile games of all time like Brawl Stars and Clash of Clans.

I was at Xbox when Clash of Clans launched, where leadership was obsessed. I saw firsthand how people—some of whom were spending thousands of dollars on gems—were hooked. It was my first real glimpse into the world of mobile gaming "whales". Before then, I couldn’t comprehend how a game could monetize beyond the sale of a “boxed” product and its DLC.

When Clash Royale launched in early 2016, I made the tough call to abandon my clan (and the hundreds of dollars I had already spent) to start fresh. I trusted Supercell’s reputation, and the familiarity of the characters made the switch feel natural.

Keeping a game alive as a continuously evolving live service for nine years is a business within a business. I’ve loved watching how Supercell learns from its players, tracking patterns of engagement and spending to fine-tune the experience. They have mastered the delicate balance of monetization—always fair, always adding value, and always keeping the game fresh. Just when my interest might wane, a new mode, level, or set of cards drops at the perfect moment. The matchmaking is seamless, the balance across 130+ cards and 15 levels is near perfection, and every update feels meaningful. The community outreach is strong, their multimedia is hilarious (Michael Bolton Barbarians?!), tournaments are exciting to play and watch, and the challenges are tuned to just the right level of difficulty.

Beyond my personal enjoyment, it has had a significant impact on my professional life. Working at Unity, my team helped build and optimize many free-to-play mobile games. When advising customers, I frequently referenced Clash Royale as the gold standard of game design and monetization.

And now, as my son and I prepare to launch our first game as independent developers, it’s no surprise that we’re creating a deck-building game. It’s impossible not to be inspired by Clash Royale. If our game achieves even a fraction of its success, it will be an incredible accomplishment.

My Supercell ID is Slippers99, my clan is XO, and I currently have 8,852 trophies. Come join my clan—or challenge me if you think you can!

With thanks: Sam Walkden, Ilkka Paananen, Don Matrick, Aaron Simpson, Phil Harrison, Phil Spencer, Matt Booty, Mark Morris