Brawl Stars has been captivating mobile gamers since its global release in 2018. With its fast-paced matches, diverse cast of Brawlers, and evolving meta, it remains one of the most engaging competitive games on mobile platforms. However, beneath its colorful visuals and seemingly casual style lies a deeply strategic experience—and a balancing challenge that continues to grow over time. One of the most debated and impactful issues in Brawl Stars is power creep.
In this article, we take a deep dive into how power creep manifests in Brawl Stars, why it happens, how it affects the game’s ecosystem, and what Supercell has done (or should do) to manage it.
What Is Power Creep and Why Does It Matter?
Power creep refers to the phenomenon in which newly released characters, items, or features become more powerful than older ones, gradually making the latter obsolete or less viable. This issue isn’t unique to Brawl Stars—it’s a common challenge in many live-service games. However, in Brawl Stars, power creep has a unique twist due to the game’s fast-paced gameplay, constant updates, and roster diversity.
In a game like Brawl Stars, where each Brawler has specific stats, abilities, Gadgets, and Star Powers, even small differences can lead to significant performance disparities. When new Brawlers are released with stronger base kits or when older Brawlers receive minor buffs, it can disrupt the competitive balance.
The consequences? Certain Brawlers dominate ranked and competitive play, while others fade into obscurity—affecting player choice, team variety, and overall game health.
The Early Days: Balanced Simplicity
When Brawl Stars launched globally, it featured a relatively small roster of around 22 Brawlers. Each had a simple kit—one main attack, one Super, and a unique identity. The power gap between Brawlers was minimal, and most could hold their own with proper skill and map knowledge.
Older Brawlers like Shelly, Colt, and Nita were generalists who could compete in multiple game modes. The absence of Gadgets and only one Star Power per Brawler helped maintain a more predictable meta. Balance was easier to maintain because there were fewer variables to consider.
At this point, power creep wasn’t a significant concern. But as the game grew, so did its complexity.
New Brawlers Enter: Stronger Kits, Flashier Skills
As Supercell introduced new Brawlers, many came with flashier designs and stronger toolkits. Take Byron, for example—his healing and damage-over-time mechanic made him versatile in almost any team comp. Or consider Belle, whose high damage and marked target mechanic gave her both control and pressure.
Newer Brawlers often entered the game meta-dominant, either because of raw strength or flexible playstyles. Their inclusion pushed older, simpler Brawlers like Dynamike or Jessie further down the tier list. This cycle repeated with each update, and power creep became more noticeable.
These Brawlers weren’t just better—they were often easier to play effectively, furthering the gap between veterans and newer options.
Gadgets and Star Powers: The Creep Multiplies
The introduction of Gadgets and a second Star Power for each Brawler added strategic depth—but also more room for imbalance. Gadgets provided instant utility, often with game-changing potential. A well-timed Sandy Gadget could win a fight, while Rosa’s bush armor made her near-invincible in some maps.
Newer Brawlers often launched with better Gadgets and more synergistic Star Powers. Meanwhile, many older Brawlers received less impactful utility. For instance:
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Jessie’s Spark Plug Gadget is situational.
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Edgar’s Let’s Fly! Gadget resets his jump cooldown instantly—a game-changer.
This growing disparity in kit strength led to community complaints about fairness, especially in Power League and competitive events.
Meta Shifts and Their Relation to Power Creep
The meta in Brawl Stars is fluid and map-dependent, but power creep subtly steers these shifts. When new Brawlers dominate, the entire meta bends to accommodate or counter them. This can include:
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Overuse of certain comps (e.g., Sam + Byron healing comp).
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Brawlers who counter new threats rising in popularity.
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Decreased diversity as older Brawlers become non-viable.
For example, the release of Buster brought a tanky frontline with built-in protection from ranged attacks. Teams had to adopt more burst damage or hard CC strategies to deal with him, sidelining mid-range control Brawlers.
These changes aren't inherently negative, but when power creep is the primary cause, it raises questions about long-term design balance.
Impact on Competitive Play and Power League
In modes like Power League and Championship Challenges, balance is critical. Competitive players rely on nuanced matchups and strong map awareness, but when new Brawlers skew the power curve, it limits strategic depth.
Here’s how power creep affects competitive environments:
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Bans are predictable: Players often ban the same few overpowered Brawlers.
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Limited draft diversity: Most teams gravitate toward high-value Brawlers like Cordelius, Otis, or Chester.
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Stale gameplay: Matches feel repetitive, reducing viewer excitement and player creativity.
Even minor kit imbalances get magnified at higher levels. Players can exploit overpowered Brawlers to win consistently, making balance updates even more essential.
The Role of Skins, Prestige, and Monetization
One understated contributor to power creep is monetization. New Brawlers often debut alongside exclusive skins or events, encouraging purchases and time-limited engagement. This creates pressure to keep new content feeling “worth it,” which may unintentionally tip the balance toward stronger designs.
Prestige mechanics and Hypercharges (special power boosts) also add layers of power scaling. While exciting, these features can widen the gap between casual players and those who invest more time or money, amplifying the impact of power creep.
It’s not necessarily malicious—but it’s a reality of live-service games balancing retention, profit, and fairness.
How Supercell Responds: Buffs, Nerfs, and Reworks
Supercell is no stranger to balancing woes. Over the years, the dev team has implemented balance changes every 2–4 weeks, targeting overperforming and underused Brawlers. These patches include:
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Stat tweaks (e.g., reducing ammo or reload speed).
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Gadget and Star Power reworks.
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Rebalancing entire Brawler archetypes.
A recent example is the rework to Tick’s gadgets, which made him more relevant again. Similarly, buffs to underused Brawlers like Bo and Penny gave them new life in multiple modes.
These responses help contain power creep but don’t always address root design issues—like fundamental kit limitations in older Brawlers.
What Can Be Done: Ideas for Sustainable Balance
Managing power creep is a design challenge, but there are proactive solutions. Here are a few ideas:
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Kit Reworks for Legacy Brawlers: Modernize old characters like Bull or Rico with passive abilities or better scaling.
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Gadget Standardization: Bring older gadgets in line with newer, more impactful ones.
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Meta Rotation Modes: Temporary rule changes or banned lists to encourage diversity.
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Prestige Balancing: Ensure Hypercharges and mastery perks don’t favor only new Brawlers.
Supercell has already begun exploring some of these, but broader system-level adjustments may be necessary to futureproof the game.
The Players’ Role in Addressing Power Creep
Finally, the community has a voice. Brawl Stars thrives on its loyal player base, many of whom actively engage on Reddit, Discord, and YouTube. Supercell often listens—several Brawler tweaks have resulted directly from community feedback.
To help manage power creep, players can:
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Provide constructive feedback with data.
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Encourage diverse playstyles and highlight underrated Brawlers.
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Vote in community polls for buffs and reworks.
Community-driven balance can guide Supercell in making smarter updates, ensuring that fun and fairness remain at the heart of the game.
Conclusion
Power creep is a natural consequence of growth in any live-service game, and Brawl Stars is no exception. As more Brawlers join the fight and mechanics evolve, maintaining balance becomes an ongoing challenge. But with responsive devs, engaged players, and thoughtful updates, Brawl Stars can navigate these waters and keep delivering fast, fair, and fun gameplay.
Whether you're a Shelly main or a Cordelius connoisseur, the battlefield is yours—just keep an eye on the meta!
