The developer behind Clash of Clans is getting a huge cash injection in an attempt to become the next Nintendo. Finnish developer Supercell just announced that it has received a $1.5 billion investment from two Japanese companies, telecom giant Softbank and game publisher GungHo Online. According to Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen, the money will be used to help the company reach new parts of the world — specifically Japan, Korea, and China — in its attempt to become a globally recognized brand.

"We want to build a company that people all over the globe will look back at in 30 years and talk about all the great games that we developed and the impact they had on people's lives," he explained. "The same way I personally feel about Nintendo, for example." Much like Candy Crush Saga developer King — which is rumored to be filing for an IPO soon— Supercell has made its fortune focusing on a very small number of free-to-play games. It's best known for strategy title Clash of Clans, which regularly sits at the top of the top grossing iOS app charts, and at present its only other active game is the farming simulator Hay Day. Along with Angry Birds developer Rovio, Supercell is a major part of the fast-growing Finnish game scene.

Despite all of the new investment, Paananen stressed that Supercell will remain independent. The new company that emerges from this investment will still be incorporated in Finland, while Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son says that he looks forward to watching an "independent Supercell" continue to grow. "I feel that with this deal, we're now more independent and in control of our future than we ever have been," says Paananen.