This face has taken many lives, make sure it doesn’t take yours. Photo courtesy of Rocco Zundel

  Besides social media, video games remain one of the most prevalent apps among phones at San Luis Obispo High School. 

  Arguably “Clash Royale” has remained the king of the mobile game industry, and that title does not seem to be going away any time soon. With its extreme popularity, the game has stirred up many mixed reviews. For students at SLOHS, there’s many ways one can classify “Clash Royale”: a trend, a virus or a miracle. 

  “Clash Royale” is not a game that has miraculously appeared out of nowhere. It’s a product made by Supercell, a company responsible for creating other mobile games such as “Clash of Clans”, “Brawl Stars”, and “Boom Beach”. Upon the game’s release in 2015, there were immediately five million downloads. 

  “Way back yonder, I remember playing it because other people were playing it. It didn’t take long for me to hate it. It’s a pay to win game and not engaging. Would not recommend it. And it makes you angry,”said senior Aidan Bolivar, recalling the games popularity and his reception of it back in middle school.

  On the other hand some students find great joy playing Clash Royale, including the sophomore Wesley McCarley.

 “It’s a great game, it helps you think and it’s basically one of the purposes of my life. Since I started playing Clash Royale everything in my life has gone up,” said McCarley.

  Soka University of Japan conducted a recent study on mobile games that emphasize in-game purchases on their user interface. These games are referred to as gacha games and “Clash Royale” is a strong representative of this game type. The University describes these games as mechanisms for pathological gambling in youth. Children who are excessively exposed to gacha games are more likely to make impulsive decisions in life. They recommend that extreme regulation or complete absence in these games are optimal for a juvenile’s health and development. For “Clash Royale” players, taking a break is sometimes necessary. 

  “Taking a break from “Clash Royale” gave me a lot more freetime to do things that were actually important”, said senior Ally Jones.

  “Clash Royale” has cemented its role in Gen Z culture. Remember before hitting that ready button to stay safe because the emotional roller coaster you will experience can kill you.

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