ClashCon 2016 cancelled, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus revealed, and 5 things we learned about Supercell from Ilkka Paananen
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen doesn't get out much to give talks and the like, so when he does, it's worth paying attention to what he says.
Our readers certainly thought so too, as our list of five things we learned about Supercell at Paananen's BAFTA talk was our most read article of last week.
Coming in second is the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with Apple finally confirming all the rumours surrounding the new technology and missing headphone socket.
Lost internet and con cancellations
Third, our very own Matt Suckley explains why shutting gamers out when they don't have an internet connection is a killer for retention, one of the most important metrics for a free-to-play title.
And finally, Supercell cancels its upcoming ClashCon 2016, and we talk to TreasureHunt CEO Kyle Smith about why he wants to be the dumbest person at his own company.
Click the link below to find out more about the stories that caught our reader's attention last week.
#5: "My goal as the CEO is to be the dumbest guy in the company"
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"My goal as the CEO is to be the dumbest guy in the company" »It's usually the goal of a CEO to excise full power over a company, acting as the head of the organisation and making sure that the company follows in their beliefs.
Not so for TreasureHunt CEO Kyle Smith, who instead dreams of being "the dumbest guy in the company" by recruiting well and trusting his employees.
The studio philosophy is built around the idea of "trickle-up", where the people in lower positions are more suited for the jobs they're doing than the guy in charge.
"We have a saying internally that making games gets in the way of recruiting people," says Smith. "Some of these leads that we have, I courted for six to 12 months and just wouldn't take no for an answer."
#4: ClashCon 2016 cancelled as Supercell focuses on improving its games instead
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ClashCon 2016 cancelled as Supercell focuses on improving its games instead »Supercell is known for working as a group of smaller cells that act independent from each other, beavering away on different games and their communities in small groups.
What this means is that sometimes, bigger things they have planned can't go ahead, as is the case with this year's planned ClashCon, which has been cancelled.
"While big events like ClashCon are a great way to give back to players, they are largely limited to the Clashers able to attend in person," said the company's blog post.
Instead, the team will be working on improving Clash Royale and continuing to work on its balancing and new features to make it the best game possible.
#3: If retention is the most important metric in mobile games, why are we turned away when we lose connection?
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If retention is the most important metric in mobile games, why are we turned away when we lose connection? »The good news is that our Features Editor Matt has moved house. The bad news is that he's currently without internet in his new home. Poor Matt.
While that makes working hard, it makes keeping on top of his numerous mobile games even harder, since so many of them require a constant internet connection.
The problem isn't just that players can't access the game, but that this then causes them to fall out of the habit of checking in on their games, so they'll be less inclined to keep playing them once they have internet access once again.
"If it's not available when the player needs help to pass that time," he says, "they will find an alternative that is."
#2: Apple officially announces iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus shipping on 16 September
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Apple officially announces iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus shipping on 16 September »Everyone loves a good rumour, so it's no surprise that there were more than a few making the rounds with regards to new hardware coming from Apple in the near future.
And, as rumours often are, it turned out to all be true, with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus officially announced on 7 September 2016.
The main upgrades largely revolved around the camera, with both devices receiving major upgrades across the board, and the iPhone 7 Plus getting two cameras instead of the usual single camera set up.
Of course, the iPhone wasn't the only thing Apple announced at its event, and you can see everything in this handily compiled list we put together for you.
#1: 5 things we learned about Supercell from Ilkka Paananen's BAFTA Games lecture
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5 things we learned about Supercell from Ilkka Paananen's BAFTA Games lecture »Ilkka Paananen may be the CEO of one of the most successful mobile developers in the world, but he doesn't poke his head out of the office very often.
So when we heard he was giving a talk at BAFTA, a stage that has been graced by industry legends since 2007, we practically ran down to find out what we might learn about Supercell from the main man himself.
The main point of interest is that the studio's latest game, Clash Royale, was actually based on a prototype that they killed off before even Clash of Clans was developed.
"Somebody, probably me, said 'this real-time PvP will never work, so let's just leave it,'" said Paananen, on the topic.
