You can’t walk around campus without seeing it. It’s everywhere. From the lunch tables to the classroom, students are glued to their screens, battling it out in Clash Royale. With the goofy animated characters and fast-paced, tower-destroying gameplay, this game has taken over Jesuit High School Sacramento once again.

Clash Royale was released in early 2016, and quickly became one of the biggest mobile games of its time. Its presence everywhere was felt, and the game’s exhilarating, collaborative gameplay made waves all around the world. Previous Jesuit students fondly remember the game’s honeymoon phase, and it even made its way into Donovan Jasper ’21’s valedictorian speech. But like all games, hype fades, and Clash Royale eventually died. Uneventful and even retrogressive updates led to a declining player base, and the game faded away.

Then, in the summer of 2025, Clash Royale exploded in popularity. Nobody saw it coming, but the game returned as a cultural phenomenon. But why is Clash Royale so popular again? 

The answer starts with a variety of streamers and influencers bringing the game back into the spotlight, starting with Rainbow Six Siege streamer Jynxzi and other influential figures like MrBeast, IShowSpeed, and Togi. Soon after seeing famed creators returning to the game, many players came back for the first time in years, which caused a snowball effect.

Despite the game’s rapid return to the spotlight, is it a good game? The answer is simple: No. 

Clash Royale is not in any way the same wonderful game that once drew players in. Over the last couple of years, dozens of pointless concepts have been introduced and countless shop offers that range anywhere from $5-$60 litter the menu, offering tantalizing prospects of progression. Progression past a certain point is almost impossible without buying these offers and new cards, which are purposely overpowered, a blatant money grab. 

However popular Clash Royale might be, it’s not the same game that was so beloved back in 2016. The hype around it is just a trend, and will die out soon.