Supercell London GM Seppänen exits to launch AI-native card game studio, 2027 target
Summary
Lasse Seppänen, GM of Supercell London, is leaving after 7.5 years to found a UK studio targeting a 2027 launch
His thesis: maturing AI tooling lets lean veteran teams compete in asset-heavy genres like digital card games
He is retaining Supercell equity, signaling confidence in the parent's long-term trajectory
"I've been daydreaming about the startup world again for a while now, and this feels like exactly the right moment to go"
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Card games chosen as the AI cost-structure play
New UK studio targeting digital card games, planned launch in 2027, focused on new IP
Seppänen frames AI tooling, not market timing, as the specific enabling condition for the bet
Digital card games are among the most asset-intensive mobile genres, requiring card art and content at scale
AI generation directly attacks that cost base, making the genre viable for small headcounts
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Operator profile VCs are currently underwriting
Nearly 30 years in games, including six years at Remedy Entertainment
Prior founder credits: Elven Industries and PlayRaven, the latter acquired by Rovio in 2018
At Supercell led Hay Day, Boom Beach, and Everdale, then integrated the Space Ape acquisition as London GM
Combines live-ops judgment with AI production thesis - the exact profile early-stage gaming VCs are backing
What this means
For Investors & VC: Expect more veteran-led AI-native raises framing lean headcount as the core edge in asset-heavy genres
For Publishers & Developers: Card game category economics are being re-underwritten - reassess internal cost benchmarks before greenlighting
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Locations
United Kingdom
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