How much does the Candy Crush creator make? Over $1 billion annually.
Candy Crush is one of the most addictive and profitable mobile games ever created. The simple yet engaging puzzle game has been downloaded over 3 billion times since it launched in 2012. But how much does King, the company behind Candy Crush, earn from this sweet success? Let‘s analyze the data and break down the insane profits.
King – The Swedish Creator of Candy Crush
First, let‘s look at King, the developer behind the legendary Candy Crush Saga. King is a mobile game company based in Sweden that was founded in 2003.
In the early days, King created browser games like Bubble Witch Saga and Pet Rescue Saga. But it was the release of Candy Crush Saga for mobile in 2012 that truly propelled King to global prominence.
Candy Crush became a phenomena played by hundreds of millions worldwide. In 2016, Activision Blizzard acquired King for $5.9 billion to get access to the mobile market. This allowed King to leverage the financial backing of one of the "big three" video game companies.
Key Facts About King:
- Founded in 2003 in Sweden
- Creator of hit games like Bubble Witch Saga and Pet Rescue Saga
- Released Candy Crush Saga in 2012
- Acquired by Activision Blizzard in 2016 for $5.9 billion
Candy Crush Revenues and Profits Are Over $1 Billion
Now, let‘s look at the numbers. According to Activision Blizzard‘s 2021 financial report, King earned $2.58 billion in total revenues. This made up a sizable 22% of Activision‘s total $8.8 billion revenues.
Even more impressively, King had a staggering operating income of $1.1 billion in 2021. That‘s pure profit just from King‘s operations.
Based on market research estimates, Candy Crush alone generates around $1 billion annually from in-app purchases and advertising. This means the flagship title contributes a dominant 60-70% of King‘s revenues.
Key Financial Figures for King and Candy Crush:
- Total Revenue in 2021: $2.58 billion
- Operating Income in 2021: $1.1 billion
- Estimated Annual Revenue from Candy Crush: ~$1 billion
As you can see, Candy Crush is a massive cash cow – generating over $1 billion in pure profit every year!
Candy Crush‘s Popularity Is Unmatched
Now let‘s look at why Candy Crush is so profitable – its sheer popularity. According to King, Candy Crush has been downloaded over 3 billion times since 2012 and has hundreds of millions of active users.
In 2020 alone, it generated $266 million just on iOS devices in the United States. Compare this to $111 million for Pokémon GO – another hugely popular mobile game!
In fact, Candy Crush earns as much revenue as Activision‘s Call of Duty franchise based on recent figures. This shows how profitable free mobile puzzle games can be.
The key stats showcasing Candy Crush‘s unmatched popularity:
- Over 3 billion downloads since 2012 launch
- Hundreds of millions of monthly active users
- $266 million revenue from iOS in U.S. alone in 2020
- Revenue comparable to Activision‘s Call of Duty franchise
CEO Riccardo Zacconi‘s Net Worth Is $500+ Million
Riccardo Zacconi is the CEO and co-founder of King. He has helped guide the company from a small startup to a mobile gaming giant solely on the back of Candy Crush‘s success.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List of 2020, Zacconi has amassed a net worth of around £410 million – which is over $500 million! He owns a 20% stake in King/Activision which forms a big chunk of his riches.
The Cost and Team Behind Developing Candy Crush
Given how much revenue Candy Crush rakes in, you might expect it was quite expensive to develop. But the reality is that it had a remarkably low development cost of just around $1.4 million!
The game was created by a small team of developers led by King co-founder Sebastian Knutsson in Stockholm. Of course, now King employs over 2,000 people across its various gaming studios to support hits like Candy Crush.
Fun Facts on Candy Crush‘s Development:
- Created by a small team in Stockholm led by Sebastian Knutsson
- Entire development cost only around $1.4 million
- King now employs 2,000+ people to support Candy Crush
Some Legal Troubles but Candy Crush Marches On
Candy Crush has faced some legal hurdles over the years, mainly trademark disputes. King applied for a trademark on the words "Candy" and "Saga", which was disputed and eventually abandoned after backlash.
King also controversially sued the developer of indie game The Banner Saga for using the word "Saga". This suit was also withdrawn after public criticism.
Despite these hiccups, Candy Crush has marched on – proving remarkably resilient even a decade after launch. It continues raking in ~$1 billion annually for King/Activision.
The Legacy and Future of Candy Crush
Even years after its release, Candy Crush still generates close to $1 billion in annual revenue, contributing massively to King‘s bottom line.
It has shaped the mobile gaming landscape and inspired many more casual free-to-play puzzle games. King continues to build on Candy Crush‘s appeal by releasing new variants like Candy Crush Soda and Candy Crush Friends.
With mobile gaming growing exponentially, don‘t expect the sweet profits from Candy Crush to dry up anytime soon. This free game about matching candies will likely continue raking in over a billion dollars annually for its creator well into the future.