Supercell revealed that a simple color change ended up shaping the entire color palette for Brawl Stars.
Purple is arguably one of the most prominent colors in the entire Brawl Stars color palette, but its importance in the game’s identity can be traced back to a single design choice: Shelly’s hair.
Supercell recently shared that Shelly, one of the very first Brawlers in the roster, almost launched with "jet-black hair." Early concept art shows her sporting a more grounded look, but the Finnish developers eventually decided to swap it out for a bright shade of purple.
The reasoning? Purple simply felt more fun.
Did you know Shelly almost had jet-black hair, until the team decided purple was way more fun? One might say this moment was the starting point for the game's extensive use of purple. pic.twitter.com/k1nY7siZIj
— Supercell (@supercell) August 20, 2025
This change may seem small on the surface, but it ended up influencing far more than just Shelly’s appearance. Her purple hair ended up setting the tone for Brawl Stars’ broader visual identity, with the color becoming a recurring theme across menus, skins, cosmetics, and branding.
So, what started as a simple swap for one character built the foundation for the game’s bold world and color choices.
Looking back now, it’s hard to picture Shelly any other way. Her purple hair not only helped her stand out but also cemented a color that would go on to define the Brawl Stars universe as a whole.