Tag Archives: Angry Birds

Life-size Angry Birds game swoops into Electric Gamebox

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Electric Gamebox, the immersive group gaming platform, has announced a partnership with video game developer Rovio Entertainment to launch a lifesize Angry Birds game, in a partnership facilitated by IMG.

The one-of-a-kind gameplay is the first time an Angry Birds game has had multiplayer slingshot enabled. The game will be available to play at all 12 Electric Gamebox locations across the US and UK from June 29, 2022.

Based on the Angry Birds game, the multi-level gameplay will have players competing in teams to destroy digital adversaries with the slingshots on either side of The Gamebox. The hyper-immersive digital experience uses motion tracking sensors worn by players surrounded by touch screens, and offers a collaborative twist on the beloved Angry Birds games and familiar characters with multiplayer action for two to six players in a private Gamebox.

“Rovio’s mission is to craft joy, so being able to bring the iconic Angry Birds game to an in-person, life sized environment is a wonderful opportunity and Electric Gamebox is the perfect partner to do this with,” says Katri Chacona, Director, Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment. “Our fans are ready to have yet another way to play a game we all know and love!”

Co-founded by Will Dean, founder of popular obstacle race Tough Mudder, and CFO David Spindler, founder of Tough Mudder Bootcamp, Electric Gamebox delivers hyper-immersive games in interactive digital smart rooms, or ‘Gameboxes’. The Gameboxes can host two to six players for experiences lasting between 15 and 60 minutes. Each gamebox features a range of cutting-edge technologies such as projection mapping, touch screens, patent-pending Lidar and 3D motion tracking as well as surround sound, all without the need for headsets.

Angry Birds joins a growing library of licensed and original IP games created by Electric Gamebox’s in-house studio. Electric Gamebox currently has 12 locations across the US and Europe, with more locations opening in cities around the world by the end of the year.

“We are in the business of using technology to bring people together through shared play. We could not be more excited to revisit the iconic Angry Birds franchise through a totally unique format,” adds Will Dean. “The interactive, competitive yet friendly version of this game will be exciting for long-time and new fans alike.”

For more information on Electric Gamebox, and to purchase tickets to play Angry Birds, visit https://electricgamebox.com/.

Popeye and Angry Birds Friends unite in support of ocean conservation

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Popeye the Sailorman and video game developer Rovio Entertainment have announced a partnership for a new, co-branded Angry Birds Friends x Popeye tournament in support of ocean clean-up organisation The SeaCleaners.

Running from January 31 to February 6, the tournament contains 24 Popeye-themed levels of competition alongside in-game ocean conservation messaging from The SeaCleaners.

Throughout the seven-day tournament, players will be tasked with stopping Bluto and the piggies from polluting, while collecting plastic waste in the game. As players advance through the game, they will learn unique and eye-opening facts about how our oceans are impacted by waste. For example, according to The SeaCleaners, every year between 9 and 12 million tons of plastic waste is tipped into the ocean. To combat this, the organisation advises players in the game to avoid single-use plastic by choosing reusable bags and bottles and plastic-free packaging.

“Rovio is delighted to team up with The SeaCleaners and Popeye to do our part for ocean conservation,” says Heini Kaihu, chief sustainability officer, Rovio. “Combining compelling games content with this very important message is a meaningful way of impacting our environment. We have a large audience through our games, and if we can contribute to increasing the respect for and safety of our planet, we want to take that opportunity. The Angry Birds may be angry, but they want to use their powers for good!”

Additionally, The SeaCleaners will host a giveaway where players will have the chance to win Bird Coins that can be used to purchase items in Angry Birds Friends such as power-ups, Mighty Eagles, avatars and more. For a chance to win, players will be invited to answer four questions about plastic pollution, which can be found on The SeaCleaners’ website. Winners will be chosen at random the week after the tournament concludes.

“The fight against plastic pollution is a collective battle,” says Yvan Bourgnon, president, The SeaCleaners. “We are extremely grateful to Popeye and Rovio for their commitment. Raising awareness about the dangers that threaten the ocean is part of our mission. What better vehicle for this than Angry Birds Friends, an incredibly popular game around the world? And what better spokesperson than Popeye, a timeless sea hero whose values we share? We feel privileged to be able to count on them!”

“Popeye is thrilled to join Red and the other Angry Birds on their mission to save the ocean from polluting piggies,” comments Beth Nock, brand marketing director, King Features. “This exciting partnership unites two incredibly popular character brands — providing fans with entertaining game play, while promoting a great cause. The SeaCleaners’ ocean clean-up technology is unprecedented, and we are grateful that the Angry Birds have joined forces with Popeye to shine a light on their impactful work.”

Popeye, the iconic, spinach-eating sailor and clean ocean advocate, is owned by King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters. Popeye first announced his representation of The SeaCleaners, an organization that focuses on long-term and worldwide preservation of the ocean, in 2020, joining its fight against plastic pollution and raising awareness of its ocean conservation efforts. This partnership continues Popeye’s commitment to sustainability and ocean conservation. Most recently, King Features debuted Popeye’s newest eco-conscious partnership, the Popeye® Sail Club, developed in partnership with Pick A Pier and Blue Flag to be the most advanced, rewarding and sustainable boating club in the world. In recent months, Popeye also launched sustainability-focused fashion collections with partners such as United Colors of Benetton, Original Marines, Brava Fabrics and À La Garçonne.

Launching on Monday, January 31, the Angry Birds Friends x Popeye tournament is available in 13 different languages including English, Spanish, German and more. Angry Birds Friends is available in the App Store and Google Play.

 

 

New Angry Birds consumer products programme to accompany Netflix series

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Ahead of the global debut of Angry Birds: Summer Madness on Netflix on 28 January 2022, Rovio Entertainment is working with IMG to build a consumer products programme for fans of the popular franchise.

The 32 x 11-minute and 4 x 22-minute special episodes is the latest collaboration in a long-term partnership between Rovio and independent entertainment company CAKE, which includes international distribution rights to Rovio’s expanding library of non-dialogue shorts.

Angry Birds: Summer Madness will see sparks and feathers fly when a teenage Red, Chuck, Bomb and Stella spend a wild summer together with other Angry Birds at Camp Splinterwood. Explosive antics, improbable pranks and crazy summertime adventures will see the birds pushing boundaries and breaking all the rules while fending off the brash, obnoxious Pigs on the other side of the lake.

IMG has signed deals across core categories including apparel, QSR, confectionery and promotions in location-based experiences in the US and Europe and is now targeting other licensees in key categories including F&B, promotions, apparel, plush, hardlines and more.

Sam Barker, Senior Licensing Director at IMG, says: “Following the global success of the movies, Angry Birds: Summer Madness marks an exciting new step in Rovio’s evolution of this iconic franchise and is a fantastic opportunity for brands and licensees to become part of it. The new series promises to deliver a fresh perspective on these globally loved characters, and even more fun for fans, with the same humour of the movie franchise.”

 

Rovio and Billebeino team up for limited-edition Angry Birds capsule collection

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There’s a new bird in town! Two Finnish companies – Rovio Entertainment and lifestyle brand Billebeino – have collaborated on a new limited-edition Angry Birds capsule collection, in a deal brokered by IMG. The line features Rovio’s iconic Angry Birds characters and a new exclusive character, Bille Bird, based on Billebeino founder and former NHL player Ville Leino. The limited-edition garments land in select retailers and in the Billebeino online store today.

The collection will include unisex casual wear and accessories for adults and children. The garments feature designs that combine the iconic Angry Birds characters with the minimalist and instantly recognisable logo and typeface styles that Billebeino has come to be known for. Bille Bird will appear in graphical placements that play on the fun and destructive nature of the Angry Birds, with kids’ designs incorporating the destructible materials that appear in every Angry Birds game.

Billebeino was founded in 2014 by former NHL player, Ville Leino, whose passion for sports and expression through art came together to inspire the brand. Today, Billebeino specialises in casual wear, all featuring Ville Leino’s designs.

“With Billebeino, we’ve found a partner that’s just as adventurous and fun as Angry Birds,” says Katri Chacona, Director of Licensing at Rovio. “Each brand brings its own unique design approach and offbeat sense of humour into the mix, resulting in a stylish new line that truly stands out from the rest.”

Commenting on the inspiration for the capsule collection, Billebeino founder Ville Leino says: “We wanted this collection to be playful and fun. We used a lot of colours and art on designs so we could get the whole family excited about the collection. It was very inspirational working with an international Finnish company. The most unique thing was designing our own character in the style of the legendary Angry Birds games. For an extra touch, we created a limited-edition Bille Bird plushie and choreographed a Bille Bird dance in cooperation with local dance school, DCA. We hope this collaboration inspires people to move, dance and enjoy life.”

To view the collection, click here.

Rovio Entertainment to launch the first Moomin games for mobiles this year

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Rights & Brands has partnered with Rovio Entertainment in a worldwide exclusive mobile games deal for the Moomin IP.

Based in Stockholm, the global licensing agency, Rights & Brands is the worldwide master agent of the Moomins, while Rovio Entertainment is the most successful Finnish mobile gaming company globally and the creator of the Angry Birds franchise.

Under the partnership, Rovio will develop new Moomin based games for any platform while holding the exclusvie rights to Moomin based games for all mobile platforms. Rovio’s first Moomin game will be based on the original story and world created by Tove Jansson, and inspired by the animated series, Moominvalley.

The title is already in development and expected to soft launch later this year.

“Moomin Characters looks to expand their digital footprint and offering, it’s fantastic to join forces with Rovio Entertainment, who bring a wealth of expertise and success in this space. We’re confident this partnership will open up new opportunities not only to the Moomin trademark, but also to the additional Nordic story. This partnership marks an important milestone in our strategy to take local Nordic creations to the international marketplace,” said Roleff Kråkström, managing director of Moomin Characters.

Alex Pelletier-Normand, CEO of Rovio, added: “We are honored and excited to enter this partnership that will give us the opportunity to present this iconic brand to new audiences across the globe as well as delighting our existing fans. This partnership will diversify our IP portfolio, which is a key step in our consistent growth strategy.”

Patrick Ullman, CEO of Rights & Brands, said: “This is the strategic alliance and digital collaboration we have been striving to achieve since starting up Rights & Brands. This is an important part of our digital transformation and a key driver to take the Moomin story and global awareness further, reaching new target audiences.”

Rights & Brands and Moomin Characters have invested in the Emmy Award-nominated studio Gutsy Animations, creator of the internationally celebrated Moominvalley 3D animation series. Multi award-winning Moominvalley is the company’s flagship production, with a record-high of 16 million starts on Yle’s streaming platform in Finland and distribution sold to over 50 countries.

“Rovio’s first Moomin game is inspired by the Moominvalley visuals. The partnership between these companies, all major players in their respective fields, will support steady growth and brand awareness for the Moomins in all digital arenas,” said Patrick Ullman.

“This deal is the perfect match for the Moomins and shows the rare but massive impact a brand based on art and literature can have. The Moomins is a body of art and this certainly takes art to a new level.”

Angry Birds flocks to game-based learning platform Kahoot! to raise environmental awareness

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Angry Birds is flocking to the game-based learning platform Kahoot! to launch a series of unique quizzes each aimed at encouraging children and their environmental awareness education. The move is the latest from Rovio to continue its fight for better understanding around climate change and environmental science.

Currently in its pilot test phase, the quizzes will see Red and friends challenge Kahoot! users on subjects like deforestation, biodiversity and carbon footprint, as well as their effects on the earth’s ecosystems.

“We’re thrilled to join forces with Kahoot! to bring an Angry Birds flair to their educational games,” said Stephen Porter, brand director at Rovio Entertainment. “Environmental education and climate change awareness are extremely important and pressing topics for Rovio, and Kahoot!’s massive audience gives us a fantastic opportunity to contribute in these areas.”

Craig Narveson, director of strategic partnerships at Kahoot, added: “We at Kahoot! are passionate about making the world a better place by bringing learning to life with fun and play, so joining forces with Angry Birds to make learning about climate change more engaging is an awesome fit.

“Climate change can be an overwhelming subject, especially for young learners. We’re excited to be working together with Angry Birds to introduce climate science in a fresh and interactive way, which learners of all ages can enjoy whether they’re in the classroom or at home.”

The Kahoot! partnership reinforces Rovio’s support for global education, building on a previous alliance with UNICEF Finland to support UNICEF’s global education work. Rovio was the first partner in the Staff for UNICEF program, an impactful donation model which raises money towards UNICEF’s education program across the world, and also supported adolescent women through UNICEF’s Salmaïtou Senegal Project.

The campaign is also the next step in Rovio’s commitment to green initiatives, which ranges from raising awareness for environmental issues with in-game events to offsetting the impact of players’ devices.

Mobile games publisher Exient wants to be the go-to partner for IP owners

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The independent mobile games publisher, Exient is looking to position itself as the go-to mobile games partner for IP owners in the games and entertainment space.

Headed up by Dave Hawkins, the firm has success over the last 12 months with the self-published Lemmings Puzzle Adventure. It had previously built its business providing work-for-hire services on IP such as FIFA, Angry Birds, F1, and more.

Earlier this year, the company unveiled a new corporate brand identity, bringing its Sad Puppy and Donut labels under its new Exient Publishing banner. It is now expanding its headcount across offices in the UK and Malta to support the development and publishing of self-funded mobile games based on IP from the worlds of games, TV, and entertainment.

Exient already has several titles lined up for 2021.

Donut Publishing will remain as a legal entity in the UK in order to service existing titles, however all new titles will be published through Exient Publishing going forward. In addition to development roles, the company is focusing its recruitment on marketing, user acquisition and community management to support its publishing activities.

“The success we’ve experienced with Lemmings Puzzle Adventure has given us the confidence to double down on our publishing activity, so bringing everything under a single Exient Publishing brand was the next logical step in our evolution,” said Exient COO Nusrat Shah.

“We have a pipeline of self-funded projects for 2021 based on really exciting IPs and we’re keen to work with IP holders and brands interested in taking their properties to mobile platforms.”

Rovio and Topgolf Entertainment launch Angry Birds into select venues

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Eagle, Birdie, the rarely scored Albatross, whatever term you’d like to use, Rovio Entertainment is looking to go the distance in a new partnership with Topgolf Entertainment Group to bring the Angry Birds franchise to select Topgolf venues this autumn.

The partnership marks a new first for both the Angry Birds IP and Topgolf and is aimed at ‘delivering humour and fun for families and friends,’ by utilising Topgolf’s exclusive Toptracer ball-tracing technology to blend the physical act of hitting a golf ball with the digital game play of Angry Birds.

Taking on a variety of challenges, Topgolf guests will be able to partner with much-loved Angry Birds characters including Red, Chuck, and Bomb to demolish virtual structures placed on the Topgolf targets.

“As a company deeply-rooted in innovation, creating new and dynamic experiences is something we consistently deliver, and we know Angry Birds will be a game-changing addition to our existing gaming collection,” said Dolf Berle, Topgolf Entertainment Group chief executive officer.

“With the Angry Birds’ loyal fanbase, this offering is sure to deliver on an experience that makes our Guests feel like they are part of the highly acclaimed mobile game.”

Angry Birds started as a popular mobile game in 2009 and has since evolved into one of the world’s most loved entertainment brands, covering games, blockbuster movies, animated series, location-based entertainment and more. In total, Angry Birds mobile games have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

“This experience perfectly embodies the Angry Birds brand in terms of its accessible fun and all-round irreverence,” said Ville Heijari, CMO of Rovio Entertainment. “Added to that, what Topgolf has developed with their Toptracer technology is highly innovative and aligns with the physics-based challenges that can be discovered in Angry Birds mobile games. The resulting experience is a familiar but uniquely branded experience that we’re excited for our fans to take a swing at.”

Rovio and Topgolf Entertainment launch Angry Birds into select venues

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Eagle, Birdie, the rarely scored Albatross, whatever term you’d like to use, Rovio Entertainment is looking to go the distance in a new partnership with Topgolf Entertainment Group to bring the Angry Birds franchise to select Topgolf venues this autumn.

The partnership marks a new first for both the Angry Birds IP and Topgolf and is aimed at ‘delivering humour and fun for families and friends,’ by utilising Topgolf’s exclusive Toptracer ball-tracing technology to blend the physical act of hitting a golf ball with the digital game play of Angry Birds.

Taking on a variety of challenges, Topgolf guests will be able to partner with much-loved Angry Birds characters including Red, Chuck, and Bomb to demolish virtual structures placed on the Topgolf targets.

“As a company deeply-rooted in innovation, creating new and dynamic experiences is something we consistently deliver, and we know Angry Birds will be a game-changing addition to our existing gaming collection,” said Dolf Berle, Topgolf Entertainment Group chief executive officer.

“With the Angry Birds’ loyal fanbase, this offering is sure to deliver on an experience that makes our Guests feel like they are part of the highly acclaimed mobile game.”

Angry Birds started as a popular mobile game in 2009 and has since evolved into one of the world’s most loved entertainment brands, covering games, blockbuster movies, animated series, location-based entertainment and more. In total, Angry Birds mobile games have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

“This experience perfectly embodies the Angry Birds brand in terms of its accessible fun and all-round irreverence,” said Ville Heijari, CMO of Rovio Entertainment. “Added to that, what Topgolf has developed with their Toptracer technology is highly innovative and aligns with the physics-based challenges that can be discovered in Angry Birds mobile games. The resulting experience is a familiar but uniquely branded experience that we’re excited for our fans to take a swing at.”

Rovio taps IMG as worldwide licensing agent for Angry Birds

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Rovio Entertainment has tapped IMG as its worldwide consumer products licensing agent for the popular Angry Birds franchise. The new deal will give Rovio a ‘one-stop shop’ global partner to develop a consumer products programme that spans all of the Angry Birds’ franchise’s content and platforms.

The first Angry Birds game launched on mobile devices back in 2009, when it rocketed to viral status and spawned a brand that today continues to draw millions of active users to its games and animated content.

Over the last decade, the Angry Birds characters have been developed into a multi-platform entertainment franchise with two blockbuster movie releases, animated series, location-based entertainment and consumer products. Angry Birds mobile games have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

Rovio Entertainment Corp. CEO Kati Levoranta commented: “Over the years Rovio has worked with a number of agents around the world, supporting us greatly in making Angry Birds available to fans everywhere in various physical forms.

“While we continue to focus on developing and publishing memorable gaming experiences and content, in IMG we have found a partner with whom we aim to deliver a more strategic and globally consistent licensing programme that’s aligned with our core business. We’re excited to begin this new chapter of the Angry Birds brand together with IMG.”

Bruno Maglione, president of licensing, IMG added: “The evolution of Angry Birds from mobile game to worldwide global pop culture fixture is perhaps one of the most impressive achievements in recent times in new original animated character creation. Working closely with Rovio, we are enthusiastic about the potential to take this franchise to new levels of success as it embarks on its next decade.”