The archive · Marketing & Growth · Strategic decision · 2026
Clash Royale turns a rip-off crisis into a player amnesty — Cannes Grand Prix
Instead of suing knock-off games, Clash Royale let their players transfer all progress into the real game — 2.3M converts, Gaming Grand Prix
Supercell · Clash Royale · DAVID New York
What it had to solve
Clash Royale had spawned countless imitators copying its name, look, gameplay and characters; the brand had to defend its market share without attacking gamers who had invested real time and money in the fakes.
How it works
As one of the most popular mobile games of the last decade, Clash Royale had attracted a swarm of imitators — games copying its name, look, gameplay and even its characters. The classic response would have been a legal war over IP; instead, Supercell and DAVID New York asked what the copycats' players actually valued: not the fake game, but the hours and currency they had sunk into it.
The insight became an amnesty. 'Copycats Welcome' posted a film in rival gaming communities calling out the fakes, then invited their players to a site where they could upload their progress and currency from the knock-off games and convert it into Clash Royale currency. Progress, levels, hours, accrued wealth — all transferable, no quibbling. Instead of punishing the pirates, the real game became the most generous version of itself.
The numbers followed: over 2.3 million players converted to the real game, 1.65 million new players joined, and DAVID NY later reported more than 7 million additional players drawn in after launch. The community did the shouting for the brand.
At Cannes Lions 2026 the work won the Grand Prix in Entertainment Lions for Gaming — Social Behavior, together with three Silver Lions, making DAVID New York Entertainment Agency of the Year for the second year running.
Why it lands
- The amnesty respected the time players had invested, so switching felt like a reward, not a confession.
- It turned a legal problem into a fan-first message that rival communities shared on their own.
- No court case could convert 2.3 million players or bring in 1.65 million new ones.
- The mechanic made the original the most generous version of itself — re-establishing the brand as the real deal.
What it did
Over 2.3 million players converted to the real game and 1.65 million new players joined; DAVID NY later reported more than 7 million additional players drawn in after launch. The work won the Entertainment Lions for Gaming Grand Prix at Cannes 2026, plus three Silver Lions.
What you can take
When competitors copy you, the players' invested time is the real asset — honour it instead of attacking it, and the community does the recruiting you could never buy with legal threats.
Since then
The campaign gave DAVID New York its second consecutive Cannes Gaming Grand Prix for Supercell and helped crown the agency Entertainment Agency of the Year 2026. Supercell continued the cadence of community-first stunts, from athlete partnerships to the Clash Royale 10th-anniversary film, with the stated goal of returning the Clash games to the top of pop culture.
Sources
- Cannes Lions 2026 Grand Prix Winners in Entertainment, Gaming, Music, Sport, Design, Digital Craft, Film Craft and Industry Craft
- 'Copycats Welcome' for Clash Royale wins Grand Prix at Cannes Lions
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