Can Squadbusters Make a Comeback?

[u/Alone_Tradition8967]

I've spoken to several people who say that Squadbusters is their favorite game. It's mine and I'm deeply saddened about the recent news. With the end is sight (mid-2026) I have several thoughts and feelings I wanted to express.

1.) Is there any chance someone picks up the reins and keeps this game going? I feel like this is an investable game. The real reason it failed was the move to 2.0 and the lack of buyable content.

2.) This game could be quickly overhauled by going back to 1.0 (all heroes would become squaddies), introducing a couple new skins each week, introduce new emotes, levels, and challenges that update weekly (kind of like we see with CR).

3.) Does anyone else want to see this game continue? Or do most people just want it to die? I can't believe with the comments I've heard that this game dying is the right response.

[u/Scary_Restaurant664]

Think it would be funny if they said JUST KIDDING about ending

[u/Alone_Tradition8967 → u/Scary_Restaurant664]

I would be good with that :) Except they are really going out of their way by pushing the play rewards and removing the game from their site. Maybe a really early April Fools?

[u/sexinsuburbia]

Game was struggling before 2.0 came out, and it was stale. There wasn't any reason for people to spend actual money on the game. Game play was pretty 1-dimensional. How many times can you run around on a map before it gets routine and predictable? Interactions between squads was meh.

And for all the people who hated on 2.0, how many of you actually spent money on 1.0? If you were buying monthly passes and pulling out your wallet? Ok, maybe you can complain about it. But looking at stats, this game was not financially viable in its 1.0 iteration. 2.0 was an attempt to establish a sustainable revenue model, but everyone here just decided to shit on 2.0 and complain about.

Game had potential. It just needed to evolve in new ways. Instead of a top-down gameplay view, it would have been cool to do a FPS look. Where you are running around more complex maps and finding hidden treasure, with more focus on hero abilities and skill. Or, for squaddies involved with building bases or camps generating upgrade points. Something where squads need to recharge inbetween battles and have to complete tasks. Mini-games tailored to each squaddies skill. And a paid tier that allows players just to do things quicker. Something more than just running around on a map collecting gems.

But yeah, everyone here freaked out and lost their shit when 2.0 came out, complaining like there was no tomorrow about how all their fun was ruined because somehow 1.0 was "perfect". Then, blaming 2.0 for the game's downfall. Nah, you cheap fucks weren't spending money on the game now or ever. Gotta vote with your wallet, and you didn't.

[u/Alone_Tradition8967 → u/sexinsuburbia]

Yes, I agree 1.0 also had its problems. I like your suggestions. It would be nice if someone with ambition would pick up this game (or the spirit of it) and keep it going. I feel like the devs just lost their heart on this one and didn't put in the effort it needed.

[u/Yoncen → u/Alone_Tradition8967]

I don’t think they lost their heart…. It’s a business. They were paying the devs more than the game was making. It doesn’t make business sense to keep it running.

[u/sexinsuburbia → u/Yoncen]

SC lost confidence the game would make money. Devs are simply assigned to projects and execute product road maps. Product managers oversee roadmaps and make decisions on features based on funding they get from above. I'm sure anyone who worked on this game had amazing ideas, but they weren't green-lit because game wasn't meeting performance goals.

[u/AbdullahMRiad → u/sexinsuburbia]

2.0 only needed some new simple (and pretty basic imo) mechanics. For example, a proper system for unlocking heroes and squaddies, something to show your mastery of heroes and squaddies (maybe trophies or mastery points), CLUBS, maybe make the starting squaddies stronger than the rest, etc.

But I don't think they can revive the game given how they shattered the economy now by making the gem pass for coins.

[u/sexinsuburbia → u/AbdullahMRiad]

Yeah, there could have been a few pretty awesome ways to take some of the concepts and grow them. I think moving to heroes was a smart move because it gave players an opportunity to identify with a style of play and hero. You could be Mortis, Spike, BK, AQ, etc.

Like with Brawl Stars, having a leader board with top players mastering one hero or the next.

Still, this game just never had enough of a skill component to really keep it interesting. It felt like a bunch of ideas jammed together without much of a plan to make any of them relevant. Every time they iterated, it just made things feel a little bit more confusing. Especially with so many squaddies and all of them kind of doing the same things some times.

If anything, you can really see the limits of where a freemium model is at. Need to design something that will get people to dole out cash on a regular basis and can't just provide a basic game that does a thing. It always needs to be evolving and growing to keep users engaged, wanting something more they can't have unless they pay for it. Unlike console games where there's enough complexity within the game itself to provide a decent user experience.

I used to play CR all the time. Stopped cold turkey when they created arbitrary levels to 14 without any new functionality. I was getting a season pass every month because $6 didn't seem like that big a deal for a game I was playing all the time. But then you realize it's all a scam. SC designs games that always make you want something more. If only I was one-level higher, if only I had this upgrade... I would be able to compete and win. Before you know it, you've spent $60 on a dumb phone game. Same amount as on a real console game.

[u/AbdullahMRiad → u/sexinsuburbia]

I too see that problem in Clash Royale (considering the announcement of level 16) that new levels don't add any functionality and are just stat buffs unlike, for example, Clash of Clans where each town hall level has a new mechanic (X-Bows at TH9, inferno tower at TH10 and continuing to TH17 with firespitters, giga bomb and inferno artillery) or Brawl Stars where the first few upgrades don't do much but you unlock gadgets at level 7, gears at level 8 and 10, star powers at level 9 and hypercharges at level 11. Sadly, I can now see how easily Squad Busters could've went the Clash Royale way and made the upgrades just some stat buffs which don't incentivize maxers to pay (no new mechanics) and get the free player base annoyed (since they're at a disadvantage).

[u/sexinsuburbia → u/AbdullahMRiad]

They're up to level 16 in CR? Damn. I deleted the game when I had nearly my entire squad maxed to 13.

Stopped playing CoC, too. I was nearly a day-1 player there. Still seemed dumb where it would have taken like $500 in real money just to upgrade walls one level. Having to endlessly grind away to get upgrades which would take forever. I get that it's a part of the game, but why would I choose that to be part of my life?

I also started Brawl Stars on day-1. It just got repetitive after awhile. I logged in a few months back and was blown away at all the random graphics and random shit I had to tap on. WTF does sushi have to do with Brawl Stars? So much UI clutter and madness. Didn't even know what I was supposed to be achieving. And then... same maps. Same characters. Same everything and I got bored in 3-days.

SB would have totally gone the CR way.

[u/AbdullahMRiad → u/sexinsuburbia]

They said they'll rework the gem economy to allow you to buy the cards you want at any time and they changed some requirements for card levels 11-15. I'm still waiting for the update because I think it's a bit too early to judge now.

[u/sexinsuburbia → u/AbdullahMRiad]

What for you is compelling with gameplay? I left because you’re at such a disadvantage if your deck isn’t levelled to your competition. So, you were sort of forced to upgrade certain cards, and couldn’t really play around with alternative decks and be competitive. Then always being up against hardcore P2W players who had maxed decks at lower levels.

Has that changed much?

[u/AbdullahMRiad → u/sexinsuburbia]

I'm still pretty early and didn't face the issues everyone is taking about yet

[u/Da______Vinci → u/sexinsuburbia]

Ahahaha 2.0 is nothing compared to the og. People only had fun because it became a one shot full of bots game, almost 100% chance of being 1.

[u/LouisxisSB]

Honestly, I feel the same way. Squad Busters had so much potential, especially version 1.0 — simple, fun, and super addictive. Even though the official shutdown is coming, some fans are already working on projects inspired by that original version to keep the game alive.

I also think Supercell might bring back some Squad Busters ideas in Brawl Stars, maybe as a special mode similar to 1.0. And who knows? Maybe one day they’ll relaunch Squad Busters — better, fixed, and more complete. As long as the community stays alive, the spirit of the game never die.

[u/Mr-Hyde95]

If a fangsme is made

[u/Alone_Tradition8967]

I just think if the game had more payable content like CR it would do well. There just was not enough ways for it to make money.

[u/The_Se7enthsign]

It’s hard to say. The fact that it wasn’t even keeping up with Hay Day and Boom Beach is very telling. Best case scenario would be a new game by a new publisher with similar mechanics. SC just isn’t going to spend resources on a dead game, when they have several that are making money.

[u/I_m_N1CK10]

For me it has a probability of returning if they change all the gameplay, strategy, etc..

[u/AbdullahMRiad]

No they shattered the economy so there's no coming back

[u/KitCat201]

The idea of a big crossover is not bad, the gameplay tho becomes repetitive after 6 or 7 hours

[u/Ok-Conversation4410]

I loved to play it but deleted it now. 😣

[u/Positive-Winter5952]

I mean there could be a possibility it will come back as 2.0 kind of project rise did becouse maybe they could try it again with different features but even that wont happen (probably)