At West Chicago Community High School, Clash Royale has taken over the student body, with sightings of the game emerging across campus and slowly becoming part of many students’ daily routines.

Clash Royale debuted on March 2, 2016, from Finnish game developer Supercell, the studio behind popular titles such as Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars. In recent months, Clash Royale has experienced a major resurgence in popularity.

As of Sep. 2025, Clash Royale has averaged over three million new downloads per month and generated $145 million in revenue, making it by far the fastest-growing and best-performing Supercell game. But how did a game that spent years in decline – once even considered the most hated by the Supercell community – pull off a complete 180 seemingly out of nowhere?

The sudden revival was not just coincidence, but the result of steady updates and exposure to a fresh audience.

Clash Royale’s resurgence can be largely credited to content creators and streamers who have breathed new life into the game nearly a decade after its release. Creators like Jynxzi and Ken — formerly known as KFC Clash — have drawn massive audiences on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch by revisiting Clash Royale’s simple, yet highly competitive and strategic gameplay. This flood of content has pushed the game back into trending categories and widened its reach to millions of potential players.

“I recently got back into Clash Royale after seeing a Jynxzi livestream on YouTube showcasing and discussing new decks and strategies. Me and a friend hopped on and started running 2s after that,” Clash Royale player Noah Vice said.

Another factor fueling Clash Royale’s comeback is the return of the school year. With school back in session, the game has once again become a go-to pastime during lunch hours, bus rides, and downtime between passing periods.

“Honestly, I think the biggest reason is because people are back in school and the games are only 3-5 minutes tops, which allows you to get a quick match in during your free time or during the periods between the bells,” Vice said.

Another factor fueling Clash Royale’s comeback is the return of the school year. With students back in class, the game has once again become a go-to pastime during lunch hours, bus rides, and downtime between passing periods.

“Honestly, I think the biggest reason is because people are back in school and the games are only 3–5 minutes, which allows you to get a quick match in during your free time or between the bells,” Vice said.

Although the game has regained attention – and for good reason – some of the older issues still linger.

Supercell is notorious for microtransactions and paywall-locked incentives that speed up progression and give paying players a competitive edge. Players can purchase wildcards, evolution shards, or in-game currency to level up—items that would otherwise require long hours of grinding. This “pay to win” dynamic gives spenders a significant advantage over “free to play” users.

“My biggest critique of the game is forcing people to spend too much money. If you want to have a good chance of winning, you need to spend money, and if you don’t, then you’re at a really big disadvantage,” senior David Weber said.

Despite its resurgence and newfound popularity, Clash Royale still faces the same pitfalls that once pushed players away. If Supercell reduces its reliance on pay-to-win mechanics, the game has the potential to sustain its growth and continue thriving for years to come.