During a recent visit to King’s headquarters, we gained valuable insights into their successful games, with Candy Crush Soda Saga standing out as particularly sweet…
Originally intended as a replacement for the original Candy Crush, Soda Saga quickly gained popularity on Facebook before becoming a mobile sensation. Now, as the game approaches its 10th anniversary, we sat down with Paula Ingvar at King HQ in Sweden to discuss her journey from being a fan of the game to becoming its VP of product.
With almost a decade at the company, Ingvar has overseen the growth of Candy Crush Soda Saga. She shared insights on developing the game for both Facebook and mobile platforms, expanding content over the years, and the impact of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard on King.
Q: Could you tell us about your role at King and what your average day looks like?
Paula Ingvar: I lead the product teams for Candy Crush Soda Saga, overseeing various aspects such as ads, core gameplay, meta features, and events. My role involves ensuring that the game meets player demands and expectations. I work closely with our head of tech and head of creative in a product triad to maintain the game’s viability, desirability, and feasibility.
Our focus is on maintaining evergreen live operations by balancing what works with new innovations that appeal to players.
Q: How was the transition from Facebook to mobile for Candy Crush Soda Saga?
When the transition happened, there were significant changes in the game, with a substantial increase in content and features. Currently, we develop a feature-complete game and then adapt it for different platforms, ensuring consistency in content across all versions.
Q: What was your journey into the gaming industry like?
My journey into gaming began as a player of Candy Crush Soda Saga before eventually joining the team. I realized that my generalist skills were transferable to the gaming industry, allowing me to make a career shift with King.
Q: How has Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard impacted King?
While it’s still early days, we continue our business as usual and focus on our strategies. Being part of a larger family presents exciting opportunities, and we look forward to what the future holds. Our primary focus remains on delivering the best experience to our players.
More insights from King HQ…
Our visit to King HQ also included discussions with Trevor Burrows, head of product for Farm Heroes Saga. He highlighted the importance of art direction in a game’s success and how visuals can impact player engagement. We learned how a shift in art style led to a temporary decrease in player numbers, emphasizing the significance of visual aesthetics in games.
