If you’re a regular Brawl Stars player, you’ve definitely found yourself refreshing the App Store or Google Play at least once wondering when is new Brawl Stars update dropping. There’s nothing more exciting than unboxing a new brawler, trying out a limited-time game mode, or testing the meta shifts that come with every new patch. I’ve been grinding Brawl Stars matches since the global launch in 2019, so I’ve picked up on all the patterns Supercell uses for their update schedule, plus the best ways to get early news before the official announcement. This guide will break down everything you need to know to stop guessing and start planning for the next drop.
When Is New Brawl Stars Update? Official Release Patterns to Follow
Supercell follows a very consistent release schedule for major Brawl Stars updates, and they’ve stuck to this cadence for the past 4 years with very few exceptions. Major season updates drop every 8 weeks, almost always on a Wednesday at 10 AM UTC. You can convert that time to your local time zone to avoid checking the app store hours before the update goes live. That means you can usually predict the next major update date by counting 8 weeks from the last major patch drop. Smaller mid-season updates come exactly 4 weeks after each major update, and these are also usually released on Wednesdays at the same time. But there are occasional delays, usually around major global holidays like Christmas or Lunar New Year. During these periods, updates may be pushed to Tuesday or Thursday to avoid conflicting with holiday staff schedules, or to align the update theme with the holiday itself. Supercell will always announce any date changes at least 3 days in advance on their official channels, so you won’t be caught off guard.
What Content Usually Comes With Each New Brawl Stars Update?
The content you get depends on the type of update being released, and Supercell categorizes their patches into 4 main groups to make expectations clear for players. You’ll never get a full new brawler in a small hotfix, for example, so you can plan what to save your resources for based on the update type.
- Major season updates: Every 8 weeks, include a new ranked season, premium battle pass, 1-2 new brawlers, 10+ new skins, a new permanent or limited-time game mode, and full balance changes for all existing brawlers
- Mid-season patches: Smaller drops 4 weeks after a major update, focus on minor balance tweaks, bug fixes, limited-time event skins, and small quality-of-life improvements for players
- Emergency hotfixes: Unannounced small updates rolled out within 72 hours of a major patch if there are game-breaking bugs, server issues, or wildly overpowered brawlers that ruin the meta
- Holiday event updates: Special themed releases aligned with Halloween, Christmas, Lunar New Year, and other global celebrations, usually including exclusive holiday skins, free login rewards, and themed game modes
Reliable Ways to Get Early Update News and Leaks
If you want to know the exact update date before the official announcement, there are a few trusted sources you can follow, but you have to be careful to avoid scams and false leaks. The most reliable source is always Supercell’s official social media channels, including X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and their official Discord server. They start posting teaser clips 1-2 weeks before the update, showing snippets of new brawlers, skins, or game modes, and they’ll post the exact release date 3-7 days in advance. There are also a small number of credible community leakers who have a 90%+ accuracy rate, because they pull data from Supercell’s public test servers that are available to a small group of players before each update. These leakers usually share full patch notes and new content previews 1-2 weeks before the official announcement. Never trust leaks that ask you to click external links or enter your account information, those are almost always scams to steal your Brawl Stars account or personal information. The in-game news tab is another 100% reliable source, and it will show a countdown banner 3 days before the update goes live, so you can see exactly how long you have to wait. I usually check the in-game news first every time I log in, because it’s the easiest way to get confirmed information without scrolling through social media.
How to Prepare for the Next Brawl Stars Update Before It Drops
There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure you get the most out of the new update the second it goes live, instead of wasting time catching up after everyone else. First, save up your coins and power points for at least 2 weeks before the expected update date, especially if a new brawler is being released. You’ll need at least 3090 coins and 1270 power points to max out a new brawler, so saving ahead lets you start using it in ranked matches immediately. If you have unused star drops, save them to open right after the update, because new brawlers and skins are added to the star drop pool immediately, so you have a chance to get the new content for free without paying for the premium battle pass. I’ve gotten 3 new brawlers for free this way over the past year, just by saving my star drops for update day. Make sure you finish all your current battle pass tiers before the new season starts, because any unclaimed rewards from the old pass will disappear permanently once the update rolls out. You don’t want to lose out on free gems or skins just because you forgot to claim them. Don't spend all your gems on skins right before an update, because there are usually exclusive limited-time skins in the new season shop that you might want more, plus discounted battle pass bundles for the first 24 hours. It’s also a good idea to clear up at least 1GB of storage on your phone before the update, because major patches are usually 300-500 MB in size, and you don’t want to get stuck waiting for a download while all your friends are already trying out the new brawler.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to refresh your app store 10 times a day to figure out when is new Brawl Stars update coming. Stick to the 8-week major update cadence, follow official Supercell channels for announcements, and use the preparation tips we shared to make the most of the new content the second it drops. Even if there’s a rare delay for a holiday or last-minute bug fix, the wait is always worth it for the new brawlers, skins, and modes that keep the game feeling fresh. The next update is probably closer than you think, so start saving those coins and star drops now.