Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallSupercell’s Heroes and Squaddies update, announced May 13, 2025, shifted Squad Busters toward more deliberate team choices and active ability use. Players selected a Hero whose defeat wiped out the whole squad, then built support by collecting and fusing Squaddies. It was a major redesign—not a new feature announcement: Supercell later ended development, and its stated server-closure window was only a broad estimate extending into 2026.
What changed in the Heroes and Squaddies update?
Supercell announced the update on May 13, 2025, and said it was live in-game. It introduced two linked roles: a player-selected Hero and supporting Squaddies. The announcement named Barbarian King, Archer Queen, Mortis, and Royale King among the Heroes.
Heroes put an active ability and the squad’s survival in the player’s hands
A Hero was a super-charged version of an existing character. Players actively controlled its Power move rather than relying only on automatic character behavior. The defining risk was severe: if the Hero was defeated, the entire squad was wiped out. That made Hero choice and keeping that character alive central to a match.
Squaddies supplied automatic support
Players also chose supporting Squaddies. Their abilities triggered automatically as players collected and fused them during battle. The result paired an actively managed centerpiece with support effects earned through the match.
#1 Best Overall
- Comes with 2 4 inch Posable Action Figures
- Comes with weapon accessories
- The Hulk Attack Missle Launcher launches a missle!
How did the redesign change decisions before and during a match?
The update moved more decisions into both stages of play. Before a match, players chose a Hero and supporting cast; in battle, they managed the Hero’s Power move while protecting the squad’s single point of failure.
| Decision | What the update introduced |
|---|---|
| Pre-match composition | Select a Hero and supporting Squaddies. |
| Ability use | Actively control the Hero’s Power move. |
| Risk management | Protect the Hero, because its defeat wipes out the squad. |
| Support development | Collect and fuse Squaddies; their abilities trigger automatically. |
Supercell did not publish comparative performance data or a tier list in its announcement, so it does not establish a best Hero or optimal composition. The design intent was broader strategic choice, not a documented ranking of characters.
Rank #2
- Ecto-1 Playset: With Moving Wheels, Doors That Open, And A Blaster Seat That Swings Out, The Ecto-1 Lets Kids Imagine The Ghostbusters Racing Into Action
- The Ghostbusters Car: The Reliable Ecto-1 Has Been With The Ghostbusters Through Thick And Thin, Always Carrying The Team And Their Gear On Their Ghost Busting Adventures
- Compatible With Ghostbusters Figures: Keep Your Eyes Peeled For Fright Feature Ghostbusters Figures That Fit In The Ecto-1. Each Sold Separately. Subject To Availability
- Includes Ghostbusting Accessories: Comes With A Blaster, Projectile, And Mobile Ghost Trap Accessories. Blaster Accessory Attaches To Chair And Can Shoot Projectile
Why did Supercell make the change?
Supercell said players had asked for “more strategic decision-making before and during battles” and a deeper sense of the game’s lore and its connection to new characters. The company presented Heroes and Squaddies as a way to add strategic depth while keeping the game accessible. Johnathan Rowlands, whom Supercell identified as head of the Squad Busters game team, said: “Getting to this point has meant many months of experimentation, all the while running the live game.”
Rowlands also described the lore goal: “We’re also starting to give players a deeper sense of the game’s lore and how that relates to the new Heroes and Squaddies.”
Rank #3
- 40 YEARS OF THRILLS & CHILLS: Commemorate 40 years of bustin’ ghosts and bustin’ guts with the Ghostbusters Plasma Pack 40th Anniversary action figure set with accessories
- GHOSTBUSTERS O-RING FIGURES: Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore 3.75-inch (9cm) Ghostbusters action figures feature a retro O-ring design
- PLASMA SERIES COMPATIBLE: These toy figures are compatible with the Plasma Series Ecto-1 Ghostbusters car toy vehicle, and can be displayed inside
- ENTERTAINMENT-INSPIRED ACCESSORIES: Includes 4 Proton Packs with Neutrona Wands, 1 Ghost Trap from Ghostbusters, 1 P.K.E. Meter, and 1 pair of Ecto Goggles
- GHOSTBUSTERS GIFTS: Ghostbusters merchandise, including role play toys, car toys, ghost toys, and more, make great gifts for the fans in your life
What did the update mean for the game’s longer-term future?
Supercell later said it could not see a clear path forward for Squad Busters, even after several reworks, including Heroes and Squaddies. In its closure FAQ, the company characterized the Heroes update as a broad redesign that affected nearly every major system, including movement, pathfinding, targeting, fusions, chests, spells, and the economy. Its retrospective explanation was that another major pivot would have been required, with no guarantee that existing or new players would connect with the result. Supercell summarized the challenge this way: “The game would have needed another major pivot to work.” This is the company’s explanation of the closure; it does not establish that the Heroes update alone caused it.
Supercell’s retrospective also reported 75 million downloads and more than $100 million spent on the game, as well as 40 million pre-registrations and 75 million installs. The exact publication year for those figures is not established in the cited search result. They describe the game overall, not the Heroes update’s performance.
Rank #4
- CLASSIC KENNER DESIGN: This Ghostbusters Hasbro toy replicates the original 1980s Winston Zeddemore action figure with ghost toy accessory, including packaging with classic Kenner branding
- FRIGHT FEATURE ACTION: This Winston Zeddemore Ghostbusters toy is designed with Fright Features action, including a jaw that drops and a head that spins
- 1980S ANIMATED SERIES-INSPIRED: Kenner Classics Ghostbusters action figure for boys and girls are inspired by the animated series The Real Ghostbusters
- GHOST & GHOST-BUSTIN’ ACCESSORY: Kenner Classics toy figures come with ghost toys, as well as an accessory designed specifically to bust ‘em
- GHOSTBUSTERS GIFTS: Ghostbusters merchandise like the Kenner Classics Fright Features toy figures make great gifts for Ghostbusters fans, whether kids or collectors
Earlier beta figures likewise do not measure the update. Supercell reported that a February 2023 closed beta had 5,000 players and 29% D7 retention. After material changes, its May 2023 beta had more than 140,000 players, with 61% D1, 44% D3, and 38% D7 retention. Supercell’s retrospective said the team should have tested longer-term retention more thoroughly. These are pre-launch tests, not evidence of how the 2025 redesign performed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Squad Busters still playable?
Supercell’s closure FAQ said no new content would be added after a final update in December and planned to keep servers running until somewhere between mid and the end of 2026. That is a broad planned window, not a precise shutdown date. The available official information does not establish whether servers are live or closed on October 8, 2026. Supercell also said the game would not be playable offline or through private servers after the official servers close.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- RAY STANTZ: Ray Stantz is an expert in the ghostly, a technical wizard, and the team’s mechanic
- 12-INCH-SCALE ACTION FIGURE: Inspired by the supernatural events from the Ghostbusters Universe, this large-scale action figure offers kids ages 4 and up big Ghostbusters imaginary fun and adventure
- MOVIE-BASED CHARACTER-INSPIRED ACCESSORY: The Ray Stantz action figure includes a proton blaster accessory that makes great addition to any Ghostbusters collection
- POSEABLE ACTION FIGURE: The 12-inch scale Ghostbusters figures feature multiple points of articulation, so boys and girls can pose their figures for eerie adventures they imagine (Sold separately. Subject to availability.)
- DON’T CROSS THE STREAMS: The Ghostbusters have been stopping ghastly ghosts and gruesome ghouls dead (again) in their tracks since 1984, and the adventures continue with Ghostbusters toys from Hasbro (Each sold separately. Subject to availability.)
Sources
- Supercell: “Heroes and Squaddies Arrive in Squad Busters” (May 13, 2025)
- Supercell: “FAQ: The End of Squad Busters”
- Supercell: “The Best Games Haven’t Been Made Yet”
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
