Despite being over a decade old, King’s Candy Crush Saga remains one of the biggest and most well-known games on the market. The key to its success lies in offering new experiences and content for players regularly.
The fourth edition of the Candy Crush All Stars tournament starts today, boasting a massive prize pot of $1 million and aiming to be the largest casual mobile gaming tournament ever.
Luken Aragon, King’s VP of marketing for Candy Crush Saga, spoke with PocketGamer.biz about the return of the tournament. Aragon discussed how player feedback drove the creation of the tournament, its impact on the brand’s longevity, and what makes the 2024 edition the biggest yet.
PocketGamer.biz: The Candy Crush All Stars tournament is back for 2024 – can we expect it to be even bigger this year?
Luken Aragon: I’m extremely excited about the 2024 Candy Crush All Stars tournament, and I can confirm that it’s bigger and better than ever before. This year’s tournament is set to be the largest casual mobile gaming tournament in history, with a prize pot of $1 million, the largest to date for Candy Crush All Stars.
We are partnering with John Cena to create compelling content that enhances the drama of Candy Crush All Stars. Additionally, we have introduced a custom AR-branded effect for TikTokers to create ‘Candified’ videos and display them on digital billboards in iconic locations like Times Square.
Moreover, King and Warner Bros Discovery are teaming up to broadcast a game highlights show for the first time, making this year’s tournament truly unmissable.
Last year’s Candy Crush All Stars tournament saw over 18 million players participate, collecting over 300 billion candies.
Luken Aragon, King
How do events like the Candy Crush All Stars tournament benefit the Candy Crush and King brand?
These events are essential for engaging existing players and attracting new ones to Candy Crush. The tournament has been a major success and has played a vital role in keeping the game popular and relevant over the years.
Candy Crush All Stars is designed to welcome new players to the game, providing a great starting point for anyone interested. The sense of community and competition that the tournament fosters resonate well with our players, as seen in last year’s impressive participation numbers.
What efforts go into organizing the All Stars tournament and ensuring it resonates with players?
The success of the Candy Crush All Stars tournament lies in listening to our players and incorporating their feedback. We continuously strive to enhance the tournament by adding new and engaging elements based on what players enjoy.
Our collaborative approach between the marketing, product, and game studio teams ensures that the tournament aligns seamlessly with the core Candy Crush Saga game experience. By working together to deliver a fun and integrated event, we aim to provide an unforgettable experience for players.
Working on live franchises allows us to receive immediate and frequent player feedback.
Luken Aragon, King
How does player feedback influence the content and experience of the game, particularly in events like the All Stars tournament?
Player feedback is crucial for shaping the game’s content and experience, and we have always been player-centric at King. Working on a live game like Candy Crush Saga allows us to gather real-time feedback and make timely adjustments to ensure the best player experience.
Tournaments like Candy Crush All Stars offer players a competitive yet enjoyable environment, as requested by our community. By dialing up these elements in the 2024 tournament, we aim to deliver an even more engaging experience for players.
What is the vision for the future of the event and the Candy Crush legacy?
As we look ahead, our focus at King will continue to be on putting players at the center of everything we do. We are committed to delivering unexpected and enjoyable experiences while leveraging player feedback to enhance our live games.
Our ultimate goal is to make the world playful, and events like Candy Crush All Stars play a significant role in achieving this mission.
Lastly, is there any additional information about the event or Candy Crush in general that you would like to share?
The Candy Crush All Stars competition kicks off on Thursday, March 28th, offering players the chance to compete for a share of the $1 million prize pot. The qualifiers run until April 5th, leading to a live final in Los Angeles where the 10 finalists will battle it out for the championship title. This is a life-changing opportunity for players, and I am excited to see who emerges as the 2024 Candy Crush All Stars Champion!
