Four years in, Brawl Stars runs better than most games that launched this year. Worth acknowledging.
By Dev Ashford· Senior Editor
May 27, 2026
The conversation around Brawl Stars usually goes one of two ways: either it's a kids' game, or it's a serious esport. Both framings miss the point.
What Brawl Stars actually is: the most consistently fun three-minute PvP loop on mobile. The brawler roster has enough variety that there's always a character that fits how you want to play. The game modes rotate often enough to stay interesting. The skill ceiling is high without being inaccessible. And Supercell has kept updating it at a pace that most live service games can't match.
None of that is a secret. The game has hundreds of millions of downloads. But the discourse rarely lands on "this is just a well-made PvP game that holds up," which is the most accurate description.
The progression system is straightforward without being brain-dead. You're unlocking brawlers, upgrading them, learning their kits. There's no deep roster management puzzle here. That's not a flaw. Different games are for different things, and Brawl Stars is for the satisfaction of getting good at a specific brawler and taking that skill into matches.
Players who want idle progression or build systems have plenty of other options. Players who want to get good at something and feel it directly in how matches go — Brawl Stars is still the best version of that on mobile.
It's been out since 2018. It's still good. That's worth saying.