-- Candy Crush crowned its 2025 All Stars Champion, Tiago P. from Portugal at the epic live final in Los Angeles, awarding a share of the $1M prize pool and a custom Icebox championship ring

-- Over 15 million players competed globally, as the finalists faced off in a high-stakes showdown to claim the coveted Candy Crush All Stars title

-- Ten finalists from across the U.S. and beyond participated in the Live Final, including a father of 10 who plans to donate his winnings to charity and a first-time competitor, who trained everyday to master theirgameplay strategy

After five weeks of high-stakes competition in one of the most epic tournaments in casual mobile gaming, Candy Crush Saga(R) has crowned its Candy Crush All Stars™ 2025 champion of the Live Final in Los Angeles. The Live Final was officially hosted by TV Personality and Tech Expert from The TODAY Show, KatieLinendoll, who led the 10 finalists into a head-to-head battle for their chance to clinch the coveted title.

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What started as a quiet evening routine after work turned into a half a million dollar victory for Tiago P. from Portugal, now officially the 2025 Candy Crush All Stars Champion. After five weeks of global competition and more than 15 million hopeful players competing in the in-game tournament, Tiago was invited to participate at the in-person Live Final and clinched the ultimate title in a heart racing round. Tiago walked away from the Live Final with $500,000 and a custom diamond encrusted championship ring from Icebox.

"From day one, I approached the tournament like a mission," said Tiago. " Setting clear gameplay goals and pushing past them, one level at a time, is what got me here. My family was amazing, this win belongs to all of us. The Candy Crush community, the thrill of competition, and the support I've felt, it's been one of the most unforgettable journeys of my life."

As for our other finalists, one of the closest competitors was second place runner-up,Ingrid R. from California, U.S. A player who approached the game with strategic precision, Ingrid described her tactic as "building the strongest game board possible" and sticking to a routine that helped her stay calm. She secured second place and a $250,000 prize.

And rounding out the top three was Aalja B. from Atlanta, US, who balanced play with family life. "I've been playing for years to unwind," she said. "But when the tournament came around, I saw a chance to go all in. I'd never done something like this before and now I get to go home with $100,000."

The 10 finalists represent the heart of the Candy Crush community spanning three decades in age, five different countries and a range of life experiences. From 26-year-old roofing entrepreneur Hayden S. from Texas, who called "everyone I knew" when he secured his place in the final, to 59-year-old Ken N. who is a Florida-based father of 10 who is a returning finalist and donates a portion of his winnings to a charity foundation which is personally close to him and his family.

Now in its fifth year, the free to enter Candy Crush All Stars in-game tournament began on March 20, 2025, with over 15 million Crushers competing through multiple rounds for more than just bragging rights. To win an invite to the Live Final, players needed to move through each stage collecting as many All Stars purple Candies as possible, resulting in 11.4 Trillion Candies collected and 2.2 Billion levels played.

"This year's tournament was our boldest yet, and we continue to be inspired by the passion and dedication from the Candy Crush community," said Luken Aragon, VP of Marketing for Candy Crush Saga at King. "Whether you're from a small town in Portugal or anywhere else in the world, if you love the game and you have the determination, you can win. That is the magic of Candy Crush Saga."

Candy Crush Saga is free to download and play on iOS and Android. For more info on the game and upcoming tournaments, visit:www.candycrushsaga.com.

(C) 2024 King.comLtd. "King", "Candy Crush", "Candy Crush All Stars" and associated marks and logos are trademarks of King.com Ltd or related entities.

For further information, images, or to arrange an interview, please contact:Candy Crush Saga - candycrush@manifest.group

About Candy Crush SagaCandy Crush Saga(R) is one of the world's most popular mobile games. Millions of players around the globe match colorful candies in combinations of three or more to win points, defeat obstacles and progress through more than 18,000 levels. In November 2022, Candy Crush Saga celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Candy Crush Saga is available to download for free from the Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon App store, Windows App Store and Facebook.

About KingWith a mission of Making the World Playful, King is a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world with more than 20 years of history of delivering some of the world's most iconic games in the mobile gaming industry, including the world-famous Candy Crush franchise, as well as other mobile titles such as Farm Heroes Saga. King games areplayed by more than 200 million monthly active users. King, part of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), has Kingsters in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Malta.More information can be found at King.comor by following us on LinkedIn, @lifeatkingon Instagram, or @king_gameson X.

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