External Media Coverage
This episode is produced and published by Harvard Business School / HBR Presents. Wootomatic hosts this embedded stream for educational and commentary purposes.
Restructuring Mobile Game Giant Supercell for a Turnaround
Hosted by Brian Kenny / Harvard Business Review
Restructuring Mobile Game Giant Supercell for a Turnaround
Episode Summary
Founded in 2010, Supercell was a Finland-based mobile gaming company that had developed and launched five global hit mobile games. The company’s early philosophy was that it could produce hits by designing the company to appeal to top talent: Developers worked in small, autonomous groups called cells with little oversight. The formula was an initial success but the streak of hit games eventually ended. By 2023, CEO Ilkka Paananen and the company’s leadership team decided to restructure the company but wondered if they could still attract top talent despite its shift to more traditional ways of managing the business. Senior Lecturer Jeffrey Rayport and host Brian Kenny discuss the case, “Supercell 2.0: Clash of Plans,” and the question at its crux: What would it take to restore the company's winning streak?
Inspired by HBS Case Studies?
Turn enterprise-grade growth strategies into real-time operational automations. Wootomatic builds custom AI agents, CRM funnels, and Zapier workflows on a flexible monthly subscription.