King’s Candy Crush Solitaire, a clever blend of their popular match-three gameplay and TriPeaks Solitaire, has already surpassed one million downloads. This achievement is even more noteworthy as it's the fastest TriPeaks Solitaire puzzler to reach this milestone in over a decade.

While impressive, this success is particularly interesting in context. Solitaire and its variations have always been popular, but on mobile, they've often been eclipsed by flashier, simpler games. Even King, a dominant force in casual puzzle games, has faced challenges maintaining its market lead. Their success with Candy Crush Solitaire suggests that combining familiar elements from their established franchise with a well-known classic like Solitaire was a winning strategy.

Expanding Reach

Candy Crush Solitaire’s rapid growth is also linked to its availability on alternative app stores, a result of King's partnership with Flexion. This strategic move, along with a similar partnership between Flexion and EA, highlights the growing importance of these alternative distribution channels.

What does this mean for gamers? It could signal more Candy Crush spin-offs in the future, and further emphasizes the potential of alternative app stores to significantly boost download numbers for publishers. Whether this translates to direct benefits for players remains to be seen.

Interested in the development of Candy Crush Solitaire? Read our interview with executive producer Marta Cortinas for insights into King's latest release.