Crush & Tell: Candy Crush’s behind-the-scenes series will explore game design and development

• Crush & Tell is a new YouTube series giving a behind-the-scenes look at Candy Crush Saga's development.
• The first of six episodes has premiered today.

Swedish mobile giant King needs no introduction, with its match-3 behemoth Candy Crush Saga among the most recognisable names in the industry.

With well over $10 billion in lifetime player spending by AppMagic estimates, and more than 20,000 levels created to date, Candy Crush remains among the top puzzle games on the market even 13.5 years on from release.

But of course, none of those accolades would have been achieved without the people behind the game - the level designers, the artists, the marketers, and more.

So, to celebrate those people, and to answer some of the Candy Crush community’s long-wondered questions, King is debuting a new vodcast-style series called Crush & Tell, packed with behind-the-scenes insights from the game’s creators.

As the first of six episodes premieres today, we speak with Candy Crush VP of marketing Luken Aragon for a glimpse of what’s to come, the purpose of the series, and why now is the right time for a peek behind the developer’s curtain.

"Crush & Tell is about the joy and moments that make Candy Crush special. It shares stories from the people who play and create the game, celebrating everything from favourite levels to unexpected wins and small moments of fun," Aragon says.

"After more than a decade of Candy Crush Saga, we’ve built a truly global community: hundreds of millions of players who all have a deep connection with and passion for the game. Crush & Tell is our way of celebrating that.

"We wanted to step out from behind the levels and give players a closer look at the people, creativity, and thinking that goes into the game they love."

A spotlight series

The Crush & Tell series is being hosted by tech reviewer and YouTuber Trisha Hershberger, a long-time Candy Crush player herself. Each episode will run for eight to 10 minutes and feature a different guest from the Candy Crush team.

The vodcasts will therefore span a range of focal points - one episode covering boosters, another difficulty balancing, one on collectables and player expression, and so on.

"We picked themes players will spot straight away - the ones that always get people talking in our community forums," says Aragon. "These are the best bits of the game our players love most, and we wanted to celebrate that same enthusiasm and playfulness beyond forums, too.

"The Super Color Bomb, for example, is one of the game’s most iconic boosters. It’s part of Candy Crush’s DNA. Every element we highlight in the Crush & Tell series, whether a feature, mechanic or design choice, is something that helps tell a bigger story about what makes Candy Crush so enduring."

The goal is to feature a range of voices not only in role but in time at the company. Some speakers have been with Candy Crush since the beginning while others have brought a new perspective along the way. Aragon assures each speaker has "a genuine connection to the theme of their episode".

"Candy Crush is a team effort, and Crush & Tell has been no different," Aragon says.

"From early creative development to the topics and tone of each episode, teams across art, narrative, design and marketing have had a hand in shaping it. Even if you don’t see everyone on screen, the spirit of collaboration is what’s brought this series to life."

Promotion and purpose

We ask Aragon whether Crush & Tell is more about strengthening existing relationships with players, or a UA initiative to attract newcomers. The answer is both: "The main goal is connection."

Crush & Tell will aim to deepen bonds with the existing community, for example, by highlighting areas where player feedback has inspired change, and by showcasing the people creating the experiences they play.

Furthermore, the series will be marketed to existing fans through community platforms and social media, and will also be promoted in-game. Beyond development insights, players are encouraged to watch the episodes for gameplay hints and tips.

But Aragon also believes Crush & Tell has strong user acquisition potential.

"When you showcase authentic creativity with a brand as recognisable as Candy Crush Saga, our hope is that it naturally attracts new audiences too," he shares. "It will be the first time for our players to look under the hood of Candy Crush Saga, so this is a special opportunity for fans and new players alike.

"The timing felt right because Candy Crush is in an exciting place, exploring fresh opportunities to play, and continuing to grow as a brand in a way that feels relevant and authentic to our community. I think bringing our players alongside us as we enter this new phase is super important, and Crush & Tell is just the start of that journey."

Aragon teases that there are insights in this series "we may not have shared before", with this being the first time King will disclose details of the creative process at such a scale.

Each episode will premiere on Candy Crush Saga’s official YouTube channel and snippets will be posted across social media. Making these episodes has had the added benefit of sparking new ideas and connections across King’s team, including ideas for what a second series could look like, depending on reception.

"For now, we’re focused on seeing how players respond to these first six. If they enjoy it as much as we’ve enjoyed making it, there’s every reason to believe we’ll be back for more."