4 Reasons Why Squad Busters Suffers While Brawl Stars Soars

The mobile game Squad Busters is currently underperforming relative to Supercell’s established hit, Brawl Stars. While Squad Busters maintains a significant user base and is projected to generate over $100 million in its first year, its performance metrics—including downloads and daily active users—have declined sharply since its global launch. The primary thesis is that the game suffers from a premature release that bypassed a traditional, iterative soft launch, resulting in a product that lacks the depth and engagement loops necessary for long-term retention.

Four critical factors contribute to this disparity. First, Squad Busters lacks gameplay diversity, as its core loop remains repetitive compared to the evolving modes and character-specific strategies found in Brawl Stars. Second, the game prioritizes accessibility at the expense of depth, failing to provide a sense of mastery that encourages long-term player investment. Third, the progression system is hampered by an exponential grind and a lack of meaningful utility for upgrades, which breaks the game’s economy and diminishes the sense of accomplishment. Finally, the absence of a rigorous soft launch prevented the developers from refining these core mechanics before scaling, leaving the game in a precarious position.

The analysis relies on comparative performance data from the first five months of both titles' lifecycles, highlighting the widening gap in user acquisition and monetization. While the game faces a potential "doom loop" of declining engagement and marketing efficiency, the analysis concludes that a turnaround is possible. Given Supercell’s resources and history of revitalizing struggling titles, the game could still achieve long-term success if the development team implements a significant overhaul of its core progression, collection, and gameplay loops.