Supercell releases major Clash Royale update with new game mode Merge Tactics

Supercell has released a major update to Clash Royale which adds the new Merge Tactics game mode to the popular title. 

The Merge Tactics mode consists of four-player turn-based battles to the last man, accessible through the Game Mode Switcher.

Supercell has made the mode accessible to all starting at Arena 3, with no deck-building required. Players each pick from the same card pool.

Rounds consist of a Deploy phase and a Battle phase, beginning with players buying, selling and merging their Troops before sending them into combat, where they fight automatically. Players can continue buying and selling during this latter phase in a more limited capacity.

The mode also features Ruler characters, each with a unique passive ability.

It comes as Supercell continues to expand Clash Royale into something of a games hub.

Into the update

In addition to the new mode, the latest Clash Royale update includes the new character Spirit Empress. She can switch between a flying ranged form and a melee form, offering players new ways to play in the Arena. 

There's also a new Skeleton Barrel evolution which brings two Skeleton Barrels instead of one. When the evolved card takes damage, the first Barrel drops, followed quickly by a second that also deals damage and spawns Skeletons. 

Clash Royale’s Ranked Mode is now locked at the start of each season and must be unlocked by reaching 15,000 Trophies in Seasonal Arenas or, just for this season, by having previously reached Master 1 or higher. 

Starting in August, only players who reached the Champion League in the previous season will gain access. In addition, Challenger 1, 2 and 3 have been removed, with Ranked now starting at Master 1, bringing players closer to Ultimate Champion and making Ranked a more focused and competitive mode.

Rewards galore 

Aside from the above changes, Supercell has also rebalanced Clash Royale's reward distribution to make progression more accessible and rewarding for a broader range of players. 

Elite Wild Cards have been redistributed, with 25,000 remaining in Ranked, 10,000 moved to Seasonal Arenas, and 15,000 now available through Events, no longer locked behind high-level leagues. 

Gold rewards in Ranked have been reduced from 75,000 to 25,000, with the rest now available in Seasonal Arenas. Also, 2,525 Gems were moved from Card Mastery to Trophy Road, where more players can earn them consistently. 

The update has also moved Events and Challenges from the Seasons tab to the Game Mode Switcher, which Supercell said will continue to evolve. 

Available game modes in Clash Royale include Trophy Road, Ranked, Merge Tactics, Time-Limited Modes, and Challenges, with others like Global Tournament and 2v2 Classic returning in future updates.

The major update has followed shortly after portal-hopping Mo.co rolled out to all interested players worldwide.