Rovio

Business
July 12, 2012
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Rovio and the ‘Amazing Alex’ gamble

By on July 12, 2012 at 12:40 PM.

Rovio and the ‘Amazing Alex’ gamble

Amazing Alex Launch Analysis

At 12:00 p.m. EST, “Amazing Alex” hit the No.1 iPhone paid app position in America; eight hours is possibly the fastest move to No.1 ever by a non-franchise, non-movie tie-in app. Amazing Alex arrives on iOS and Android more than two and a half years after the “Angry Birds” series launched in December 2009 and proceeded to rack up 1 Billion downloads across smartphones, tablets and computers. The competition in the mobile gaming market is far harsher than it was two years ago, and Rovio is taking a risk with its new game. Angry Birds was fast, kinetic and dumb. Its appeal was universal because it demanded very little from players. Amazing Alex is slow, static and smart. It is based on the famously difficult “The Incredible Machine” brain-twister — an MS-DOS smash hit from back in 1992. More →

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Gaming
July 12, 2012
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Tired of flinging birds at pigs, Rovio launches Amazing Alex for iOS and Android [video]

By on July 12, 2012 at 10:35 AM.

Tired of flinging birds at pigs, Rovio launches Amazing Alex for iOS and Android [video]

Amazing Alex Launch

Rovio wants its fans to know that it’s more than a one-trick birdie. The pride of Finnish mobile gaming on Thursday finally released Amazing Alex for iOS and Android devices, a game that features an even more diverse array of physics-based puzzles than the company’s classic Angry Birds. The game is priced at $0.99 for the iPhone and Android devices, and at $2.99 for iPad or Android tablet users willing to pay extra for the Amazing Alex HD edition. Android’s Google Play marketplace also offers a free trial version of the game that serves as a demo for the full game. An early gameplay video of the new Rovio game is posted below.

More →

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Gaming
July 11, 2012
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Rovio teases Angry Birds Trilogy for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS

By on July 11, 2012 at 9:45 AM.

Rovio teases Angry Birds Trilogy for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS

Angry Birds Trilogy Release Date

The idea of flinging two-dimensional birds at towers full of pigs likely won’t appeal to hardcore console gamers, but more casual Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS owners have something to look forward to this holiday season. Rovio on Wednesday teased its upcoming console title “Angry Birds Trilogy,” which IGN reports will launch in the fourth quarter this year. While the mobile gaming market clearly shows promise, it remains minuscule compared to the console gaming industry. To put the two in perspective, Rovio’s Angry Birds franchise made the company $106 million in all of 2011; when Activision launched Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 last year, it pulled in more than $1 billion in just 17 days. As such, it is understandable that Rovio would want to explore console gaming as it looks to further capitalize on its popular Angry Birds series. More →

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mobile
July 10, 2012
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Rovio’s Amazing Alex for Android and iOS to launch July 12th [video]

By on July 10, 2012 at 6:20 PM.

Rovio’s Amazing Alex for Android and iOS to launch July 12th [video]

Amazing Alex Release Date

Rovio on Tuesday announced that the company’s follow-up to its popular Angry Birds franchise will launch this week. Amazing Alex revolves around a curious young boy known as Alex, who loves to build different things. The game includes hundreds of physics-based puzzles, and even allows users to create and share their own designs. Expectations are high for Rovio as its first game surpassed one billion downloads and generated more than $106 million for the gaming company in 2011. Amazing Alex will be available on Android and iOS beginning Thursday, July 12th. Rovio’s video announcement follows below. More →

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Gaming
July 9, 2012
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Rovio reportedly working on Angry Birds sequel, ‘Angry Pigs’

By on July 9, 2012 at 3:20 PM.

Rovio reportedly working on Angry Birds sequel, ‘Angry Pigs’

Angry Pigs Release Date

Rovio is working on a game that will be a must-have for anyone who’s ever felt sorry for crushing digital green pigs with rocks and lumber, Pocket-Lint reports. A new edition of Rovio’s hugely successful Angry Birds series that’s set to be released this December will actually let users play from the perspective of the villainous green pigs that have long been the game’s chief antagonists. According to Pocket-Lint, the game will revolve around efforts to help the pigs hold onto the eggs they’ve stolen from the birds and will involve  launching the pigs against the birds using the game’s trademark oversized slingshots. Why it took so long for the pigs to acquire such sophisticated slingshot technology is anyone’s guess, but this should definitely be an intriguing addition to the series. More →

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Gaming
June 7, 2012
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Angry Birds Space tops 100 million downloads in 76 days

By on June 7, 2012 at 8:00 PM.

Angry Birds Space tops 100 million downloads in 76 days

Angry Birds Space 100 Million Downloads

Rovio’s latest Angry Birds game continues to beat expectations and smash records. The company previously revealed that its Angry Birds Space game had been downloaded more than 50 million times in 35 days, making it the fastest growing mobile game of all time. The Finnish game developer on Wednesday announced that the game recently surpassed the 100 million download milestone in a mere 76 days. The Angry Birds franchise has been immensely popular and a financial success for Rovio, having been downloaded over 1 billion times across the major platforms, generating $106 million for the company in 2011 with a total of 200 million active monthly users. More →

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Gaming
May 11, 2012
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Angry Birds follow-up dubbed ‘Amazing Alex’

By on May 11, 2012 at 8:45 PM.

Angry Birds follow-up dubbed ‘Amazing Alex’

Amazing Alex Announced

Rovio earlier this week confirmed that it bought the IP for the game Casey’s Contraptions. The company’s founder and CEO Mikael Hed revealed to Finnish TV channel Yle on Friday that the game will have an educational element and revolve around Alex, a curious young boy who loves to build things. “The quality pressure is high. We want to maintain the high standard Angry Birds fans have come to enjoy,” Hed said. “Amazing Alex” is scheduled to be released this summer on iOS and Android, then “extending to further platforms rapidly after that,” the CEO previously said. More →

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Gaming
May 10, 2012
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Rovio confirms life after Angry Birds

By on May 10, 2012 at 10:40 AM.

Rovio confirms life after Angry Birds

Rovio Confirms Casey’s Contraptions Game

Rovio on Wednesday announced that its immensely popular Angry Birds franchise had reached 1 billion downloads, and the Finnish game developer celebrated the achievement with a short video that concluded with a teaser of the company’s new upcoming game. Rovio has now confirmed that bought the IP for the game Casey’s Contraptions, which was originally developed by Snappy Touch and Mystery Coconut, though it is no longer available. “Working with [developers] Noel and Miguel has been fantastic, and this is a game that we all fell in love with from the first play,”  Rovio’s Ville Heijari, VP of franchise development said to TechCrunch. “The gameplay is a perfect fit in our arsenal with its approachable, fun and highly addictive take on the physics puzzler genre.” The executive added that Rovio is currently reworking on rebranding the title, and “getting ready to re-introduce it in a true ‘expect the unexpected’ Rovio-style launch to an even larger audience.” The game is scheduled to be released this summer on iOS and Android, then “extending to further platforms rapidly after that.” More →

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Gaming
May 9, 2012
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Angry Birds has been downloaded more than a billion times [video]

By on May 9, 2012 at 1:40 PM.

Angry Birds has been downloaded more than a billion times [video]

Angry Birds iPhone Android

Rovio on Wednesday announced that its Angry Birds franchise has surpassed one billion downloads across Android, iOS, Windows and Mac OS X, with 350 million downloads having been served in 2012 alone. The latest Birds installment, Angry Birds Space, was downloaded more than 10 million time in less than three days and a whopping 50 million times in 35 days, making it the fastest growing mobile game of all time. The immensely popular franchise generated $106 million for the company in 2011 and drew in 200 million active monthly users. Rovio’s video announcement follows below. More →

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Gaming
May 8, 2012
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Angry Birds generated $106 million for Rovio in 2011

By on May 8, 2012 at 1:15 AM.

Angry Birds generated $106 million for Rovio in 2011

Angry Birds generated $106 million for Rovio in 2011

Rovio on Monday announced the company’s financial results for 2011. The mobile game developer generated $106.3 million in sales based on the success of its Angry Birds games and strong merchandising business. “The strong growth in revenue clearly demonstrates the popularity of the Angry Birds brand.” Mikael Hed, Rovio CEO said. “The heavy investments made in 2011 to all business areas will be seen in future products. To ensure continuous success we need to be creative and stay focused on entertaining our millions of fans by continuously developing new and innovative products and services.” Rovio’s three Angry Birds offerings in 2011 — Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio — were downloaded 648 million times and featured 200 million active monthly users. The company expects business to continue to grow well into 2012. “We are very optimistic about 2012 due to significant investments in product development, cutting-edge branding, brand protection and corporate infrastructure,“ the CEO said. Rovio’s press release follows below. More →

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Gaming
April 30, 2012
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Angry Birds trip to space tops 50 million downloads

By on April 30, 2012 at 6:21 PM.

Angry Birds trip to space tops 50 million downloads

Angry Birds Space hits 50 million downloads

Rovio on Monday announced that the company’s latest Angry Birds installment, Angry Birds Space, has been downloaded a whopping 50 million times in 35 days, making it the fastest growing mobile game of all time. The company also teased that “something even bigger is on its way” and gamers should stay tuned. Angry Birds Space was released on March 22nd for iOS and Android devices, as well as OS X and Windows PCs. The fourth major Birds release delivered new and unique gameplay features alongside new and existing characters. The game was an instant hit and in less than three days was downloaded 10 million times. Fans have called the game the best Birds game since the original.  More →

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Gaming
March 8, 2012
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NASA astronaut explains gravity in new Angry Bird Space teaser [video]

By on March 8, 2012 at 3:20 PM.

NASA astronaut explains gravity in new Angry Bird Space teaser [video]

Rovio on Thursday released a video featuring NASA astronaut and International Space Station flight engineer Don Pettit. In the video, Pettit explains microgravity with the help of characters from the popular Angry Birds franchise, even making a slingshot and firing a bird across the station. The fourth major Birds release is scheduled to land on Android, iOS, OSX and Windows on March 22nd. In “Angry Birds Space,” users will be flinging birds on zero gravity planets with new gameplay features such as slow-motion and lightspeed destruction. Rovio has previously confirmed that the game will feature completely new birds along with some of the originals, who now possess various super powers. Rovio’s video follows below. More →

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Gaming
February 17, 2012
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Angry Birds Space set to launch in March [video]

By on February 17, 2012 at 4:15 PM.

Angry Birds Space set to launch in March [video]

Rovio on Friday teased the next frontier for the company’s massive Angry Birds franchise. The fourth major Birds release will be called “Angry Birds Space” and is scheduled to land on mobile devices on March 22nd. In the newest edition, users will be flinging birds on zero gravity planets with new gameplay features such as slow-motion and lightspeed destruction, according to Yahoo Games. ”We think fans are really going to love it because we’ve already gotten amazing feedback on the physics of our games,” said Rovio’s GM of North America Andrew Stalbow. “They’re so accurate and easy to grasp that some teachers use Angry Birds in their lessons about projectile motion.” Rovio has confirmed that the game will have completely new birds along with some originals, who now possess various super powers. Since debuting in 2009, the franchise has been downloaded over 700 million times on iOS and Android alone. Read on for a video teaser from Rovio. More →

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