John Cena Reveals WWE Superstars Gaming Clan

Wrestling icon partners with Brawl Stars for SpongeBob SquarePants takeover.

John Cena / Supercell

If you played Clash of Clans from 2015 to 2018, chances are you got beat by a member of the WWE locker room.

“There were probably about 15 of us that were on the team,” John Cena exclusively reveals. “We were under the top 150 in the world, and it was all at the time we were playing. It was all WWE superstars. So it was really cool that we were hiding in plain sight.”

Cena’s reluctant to reveal exactly who was in the clan, but he admits the legendary Undertaker was not among them. “Every other name I’ll keep on the board, but Undertaker was not in our Clash of Clans faction.”

You may know John Cena as a WWE superstar. You may know him as a Hollywood actor. But he’s also a huge fan of Supercell, the Finnish developer behind both Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars. 

The multi-time Wrestlemania headliner isn’t just saying that because he’s currently promoting Brawl Stars, the online battle arena and third-person hero shooter, which is now running a month-long Spongebob Squarepants campaign to mark the Nickelodeon show’s 25th anniversary. He has the stories to prove it.

Cena calls himself a “dedicated Supercell fan”, and at one point, was ranked as high as 28 in the world in Clash of Clans. When asked for his favourite part of filming his Brawl Stars commercial, which features him playing the game on a yacht before accidentally dropping his phone in the ocean, he says it was a privilege to meet the Supercell team.

“I don’t think those who program and those who code, they don’t get their pats on the back or their earned words of affirmation and admiration often enough. And to be able to meet the team that’s responsible for putting all this into existence, and throwing together a set of circumstances that over a billion people can connect with, is something that’s affected me.”

From September 5 to October 2, you can play Brawl Stars for free on iOS or Android and see characters like SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs reimagined as popular brawlers. There’s also a new Bikini Bottom map with themed game modes and items, like a Krabby Patty power-up, and a Jellyfishing challenge.

SpongeBob Brawl Stars takeover / Supercell / Nickelodeon

“On the surface it does seem random,” says Cena of the collaboration, “but there is definitely a connection with all three prongs of the trident.” He’s already a diehard mobile gaming lover, but Spongebob sealed the deal.

“I think between SpongeBob and myself, who provide the meme universe with full ammunition clips any day, all day. So the fact that SpongeBob’s talked about on social media about every four seconds and he’s responsible for his fair share amount of memes, I think I’m right up there with him.”

Cena also talked about his own gaming history, which began way back on the Sega Genesis. “I’m from the 8-bit days and the Genesis days, and when the PlayStation 2 controller came out that was about the limit of my ability. And Brawl Stars is good because it’s good for somebody who wants to just pick up and mash, and the games are quick, so it kind of gives that arcade feel, but also there’s a ton of strategy in there.”

Brawl Stars has a big fan in Cena, but if Supercell ever needs a gameplay consultant, they know who to ask: Cena and the WWE locker room.