Brawl Stars was a mobile video game released in 2018 by Supercell that became popular among students at Jesuit High School Sacramento. The game is a fast-paced multiplayer battle where players control characters called brawlers, each with different abilities and play styles. For many years, the game stayed mostly the same and maintained a strong and loyal player base. 

In December 2024, Supercell released an update that significantly changed how many players viewed the game. This update introduced a collaboration with Toy Story, adding a limited time playable character which sparks controversy among fans.

In concept, when Supercell decided to release Buzz Lightyear as a limited-time character, it seemed similar to other brawlers in the game, other than the fact that Buzz Lightyear had three different modes: Laser, Saber, and Wing, each with unique abilities.

The problem with Buzz Lightyear’s character comes from the fact that all of his abilities were too strong and could destroy any brawler in a one-on-one. This game-breaking update led to many players stepping away from the game.

Then in March of 2025 Supercell would announce a change to the ranked system and announced the Pro Pass, which was a separate battle pass that could be purchased for $24.99 and allowed the purchaser the ability to grind to earn a skin. 

Following the introduction of the Pro Pass, anytime a new brawler is released, the developers made the new brawlers cost $20 and made the brawler unfair to play against in order to drum up sales. Once the brawler was released for free, the developers would nerf it (make the brawler weaker), making it significantly worse and unfun. This was another nail in the coffin of a once-great game.

Ultimately,, Supercell’s greed may have earned them more revenue in the short term, but has lost them their once-massive playerbase. Perhaps in the future, Brawl Stars will have a resurgence, but until that point, the game will remain insignificant.