India, Nov. 14 -- A long-dormant meta may be undergoing its largest shake-up in a long time. Clash of Clans is nearly prepared to release Town Hall 18, and the anticipation goes significantly beyond the usual collection of bigger numbers and new toys. The community has been vocal over the last few months concerning a stale competitive scene in which only a handful of attacks shine consistently. With the next major update, many players will be hoping that the game finally returns to a more lively and experimental style of play.

The typical pattern behind Town Hall upgrades looks like this: new levels, even more powerful troops or defenses, and one or two add-ons. This time, however, players are looking for something more. Across the commu...