Candy Crush Saga's initial concept originated with King's K nutsson, who conceived the idea for the "best match-three game ever" while in the bathtub. He aimed to base the game on readily available items, unlike previous games that featured jewels or precious metals.
The development of Candy Crush involved more than just an initial idea, though. It's important to consider the key elements that contributed to its creation and success:
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Conceptualization by K nutsson: As mentioned above, the core concept, focusing on everyday objects (candy) rather than gems, was key. Zacconi, co-founder of King, had challenged him to create a compelling match-three game.
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King's overall strategy: King had a strategy of adapting existing web-based games into mobile formats. Candy Crush was initially developed as a browser game on King.com before its mobile adaptation. This allowed them to test the game's appeal before fully investing in a mobile version.
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Match-three mechanics: The gameplay relies on the classic match-three mechanic, where players swap adjacent candies to create matches of three or more, clearing them from the board.
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Progression system: Candy Crush uses a level-based progression system, where players must complete objectives in each level to advance.
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Monetization strategy: The game employs a freemium model, where the game is free to download and play, but players can purchase items or extra lives to help them progress.
Therefore, Candy Crush Saga was a result of a specific creative challenge, combined with King's business strategy and the utilization of proven game mechanics and monetization techniques.
