6 Years of RAID: Shadow Legends – What We’ve Learned About Sustaining a Global Hit

Six years ago, RAID: Shadow Legends made its debut in the mobile gaming world. The launch was the result of a small, quirky, and exceptionally talented team’s bold vision to make their most ambitious gaming dreams come true.

Today, as RAID: Shadow Legends celebrates its 6th anniversary, we look back with both pride and a deep understanding of what it takes to sustain a global hit.

The Evolution of RAID: Shadow Legends

When the game launched, it was entering into a relatively new and challenging market, but it had a clear mission: to redefine what a mobile RPG could be. Over the years, the game has significantly evolved and stayed ahead of the ever-changing mobile gaming landscape. From state-of-the-art cinematics to impressive LiveOps and fan-favorite gameplay mechanics, the game continues to set new standards in the industry.

RAID: Shadow Legends’s journey began with a passionate and eclectic founding team, led by visionaries that shaped its success. Game Director Dmytro Volovikov defined its unique art aesthetic, while Dmytro Grytsenko crafted its game design, and Lidiia Shakuta built its massive-scale production. With its captivating lore, stunning graphics, and immersive gameplay, the game was brimming with promise even before its launch.

Fun fact: The first Champion ever designed, Vergis, became the guiding light for 3D modeling and hero creation—upheld until today!

LiveOps: The Engine of Longevity

LiveOps has been one of the biggest backbones of our flagship title’s success. By keeping the game dynamic and exciting, we’ve ensured that players stay in love with RAID: Shadow Legends’s immersive gameplay. Plarium’s LiveOps teams work tirelessly to roll out themed events, seasonal updates, and fresh content that resonates with our unique community of players.

A great example of this is how we’ve adapted to feedback—introducing new mechanics like Artifact Ascension and refining systems like Champion Balance. RAID: Shadow Legends’s enduring success largely lies in our ability to listen, adapt, and innovate. The team's passion for the game itself is also evident in how updates are handled; they don’t value chasing trends or make new content just for the sake of it, they create content that players will truly value and love.

Strategic Marketing Pivots

RAID: Shadow Legends’s marketing journey is a story in itself. From cinematic campaigns that rival the entertainment industry (last year’s Killer New Look now exceeds 14M views!) to celebrity collaborations, the approach has been as strategic as it is daring. Over the years, we’ve fine-tuned our messaging, aligning with different audiences while always staying true to the game’s identity.

Our pivot to community-driven marketing has been especially impactful. Highlighting real players, many of whom have become content creators, and showcasing community contributions (check out timestamp 9:40) has created a more personal connection between us and our audience. Schraga Mor, our Plarium CEO and all-around leader, often emphasizes how marketing and LiveOps work hand-in-hand to deliver an experience that feels both global and deeply personal.

Community Engagement and a Player-First Approach

Community is the heartbeat of RAID: Shadow Legends. From the very beginning, priority number one was building a strong rapport with our players. Whether it’s through Reddit AMAs, Discord engagement, or in-game feedback channels, every interaction helps us understand our players better and keeps them surprised with exciting new features, updates, and partnerships.

Helen Burda, Plarium Ukraine’s GM and one of Plarium’s most inspiring studio leaders, reminds us it’s also our heart and resilience through the most difficult challenges that we’re able to keep bringing what we love to the world. Our global, shared mindset of passion, play, perseverance, and creative expression has been key to the games ongoing success.

So, What’s Next?

As we celebrate this milestone, we look back with pride, and forward with overflowing excitement. The game has an exciting pipeline ahead, with some of the biggest news ever for RAID: Shadow Legends to come out over the next year. Our goal is to continue evolving the game while staying true to the core experience that players fell in love with.

Here’s to many more years of RAID: Shadow Legends, and to our incredible community who continue to make it all possible.