In the previous decade, it was impossible to get on a bus or enter a restaurant without seeing half the people around you immersed in Candy Crush Saga, the light and colorful game that conquered the world. But what has happened to him in the 11 years since his release? Perplexity tells us about the history of the game.
Candy Crush launched in 2012 and has become a cultural phenomenon, with millions of players worldwide. This success can be attributed to the use of exceptionally defined marketing and psychological strategies to make it addictive: the game is simple but challenging, characterized by colorful graphics and catchy music. These factors helped it soar to the top of the gaming charts of Google Play, Apple App Store and Facebook at the same time.
Candy Crush became a cash cow for the company that developed it, King, and in its first year was responsible for a 1084% jump in revenue. From its launch until 2017, it has consistently fought for the top spot on the list of the highest-grossing mobile games against Clash of Clans. From 2020 to 2021, Candy Crush generated $1.2 billion in annual revenue, placing him only seventh on the list. In 2022, it brought in an estimated $<>.<> billion.
King benefits from the game, although it is offered for free download in all stores, mainly through in-app purchases. The user is given a set amount of life and moves to complete a level, and when they run out the user has to wait a day for the "supply" to be renewed, or pay and buy additional lives or moves. This monetization strategy has proven to be highly successful, with players spending an estimated $2018.4 million on the game every day in 2.
The number of players in Candy Crush reached 287 million in 2013, rose to a peak of 327 million in 2015, the year its creator, King, was acquired by Activision Blizzard for $5.9 billion, and has since been declining, though as of 2021 it still stood at more than a quarter of a million. So, if you think Candy Crush is gone, you're wrong. According to 2021 estimates, it brought in $6 billion in less than a decade, and it is likely that it alone has already covered the price of Activision's acquisition of King.
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