In September 2025, Brawl Stars rolled out one of its most ambitious updates to date. Now, as we look back from 2026, it's clear this patch left a lasting mark on the game. The update introduced two new Brawlers, a full-fledged Subway Surfers collaboration, the removal of the Early Access system, and a wealth of cosmetics, game modes, and balance changes. For anyone who missed it or wants a refresher, here's a detailed breakdown of everything that arrived.

Two New Brawlers Enter the Arena

First up is Ziggy, a theatrical magician who harnesses electricity. His main attack, Ta-Da, calls down a lightning strike at a target area, dealing area damage after a short delay. His Super, Fantastical Storm, creates a giant electrical storm that travels rapidly across the environment, dealing massive damage to any Brawler caught inside. Cleverly, the storm moves more slowly if an enemy is inside it, making it harder to escape. Although his Gadgets and Star Powers were leaked, they weren't officially detailed in the Brawl Talk. The first Gadget summons a storm that locks onto the nearest enemy for a few seconds, while the second teleports Ziggy to his attack. His Star Powers either slow enemies for one second after his Super or boost his attack damage by 30% after hitting an enemy.

The second newcomer is Mina, a fighter who blends Capoeira with breakdance. Her main attack, Capoeira Combo, cycles through three ranged attacks with time delays—but if you don't attack quickly enough, the combo breaks and resets. Each attack includes a dash that deals no damage, unlike Mortis. Her Super, Furacao 3000, unleashes a powerful hurricane that deals heavy damage and knocks enemies up in front of her. Mina's first Gadget creates a wind wall that blocks projectiles for three seconds, while the second instantly refreshes her Super if it hits an enemy. Her Star Powers either allow her third attack to heal her or let her Super root enemies in place.

Early Access Ends, Brawler Release Events Begin

Trunk was the last Brawler to receive Early Access, as the system was officially retired. In its place, Supercell introduced Brawler Release Events. Instead of a one-week Early Access window, players can now open Brawler Boxes during a 10-day event. Each day grants three tickets, which can be used to play a random game mode with either your own Brawler or a maxed-out version of the latest release. A Mirror match runs throughout the event, letting you practice with the new Brawler before spending tickets. Every two wins earns you a Brawler Box, with the win requirement varying by the new Brawler's rarity. These themed boxes contain cosmetics, progression items, and a chance to unlock the newest Brawler. Boxes can also be purchased from the Shop for 99 Gems.

Subway Surfers Collaboration Takes Over

The headline collaboration was with Subway Surfers, running until September 30, 2025. Players collected Rails to build a Reward Track, unlocking event rewards like the Boom Box, which contained Graffiti skins and guaranteed Subway Supers. These special Supers come with their own button and three upgrade levels. The list includes Super Sneakers (jump over obstacles, land with a speed boost and shield), Brawler Magnet (pull a Brawler to your position), Hoverboard Charge (surf through obstacles, damage enemies, and stun at the endpoint), Barrier Trap (trap enemies with train barriers), Jetpack (fly and attack from above with slowing spray), Fast Track (fire damaging train tracks and surf them for speed), Stereo Blast (push enemies back and heal teammates), and Pogo Pull (pull yourself toward an enemy or wall).

The collaboration also introduced Subway Run, the game's first-ever race mode. It's a 10-player free-for-all showdown where you race to checkpoints in order. Defeating enemies grants a speed boost and sends them back to the previous checkpoint. The Guard from Subway Surfers chases players and deals heavy damage if he catches them. Additionally, a Showdown variant let players race against other Surfers while unlocking six unique Brawlers as power-ups, including Dynamike, Piper, El Primo, Max, Poco, and Spike.

Skins and Seasonal Events

The Subway Surfers collab brought epic skins like Jake Ollie (free via the Reward Track), Tricky Janet, and Frank Byron. Streetwear skins included Jam Master Hank, while DJ Poco arrived as a Hypercharge skin with two Chromas: Scratcher Poco and Beatmatcher Poco. Three Graffiti skins—Graffiti Leon, Graffiti Alli, and Graffiti Stu—were also added. The Subway Surfers Brawl Pass featured Streetwear Emz as the main skin, with Hypebeast Emz and Techwear Emz as Chromas.

Halloween brought the Brawl-o-ween season, complete with a new Brawl Pass featuring Plague Doctor Crow and Chromas Old Hunter Crow and Death's Door Crow. Other skins included Ghost Diver Rico, Aeb, Gargoyle R-T, Teen Ruffs, and Headless Tickman. Hypercharged Kenji also received a new Chroma called Kizu Kenji.

Nine New Hypercharges

The update added Hypercharges for nine Brawlers: Jae-Yong (Crowd Pleaser), Trunk (Retread), Meeple (The Last Rulebender), Juju (Bokor), Byron (Unstable Concoction), Larry and Lawrie (The Three-Bot-Problem), Finx (Temporal Travelling), Ollie (Ain't No Half-Supering), and Pam (her Super now grants a shield at max HP). Each Hypercharge significantly alters the Brawler's Super or attack, offering fresh strategic options.

More Cosmetics and Quality-of-Life Changes

The Brawl-Academy returned with skins like Eldritch Professor Barley, Prankster Chester, and Truant Penny. Cheerleader Rosa received an update, and the Clash-inspired Fisherman Buzz skin became available via Supercell ID Rewards. Brazil-themed Carreta skins included El Grillo, Carreta Spike, and Crazy Clown Carl.

The free Brawl Pass was buffed to offer more Coins, Credits, and Brawler Points, partly due to the removal of Brawler Mastery. Trophy Tier Icons were replaced with new badges, and additional tiers above 1000 Trophies were introduced—players can now display new badges at 1200, 1500, and 2000 Trophies. These badges also replace the record icons on the Battle Card.

Overall, the September 2025 update was packed with content, and its impact is still felt in 2026. Whether you're a fan of flashy new Brawlers, chaotic race modes, or collecting every skin, there was something for everyone.

Expert commentary is drawn from Game Developer, whose industry reporting often helps frame major live-service updates in terms of player onboarding, monetization changes, and long-term retention. In the case of Brawl Stars’ September 2025 patch, that lens makes the removal of Early Access and the introduction of Brawler Release Events especially notable, as they reshaped how new characters, limited-time rewards, and event-driven progression were presented to the broader player base.