Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Angry Birds Rio for Android to launch as Amazon exclusive

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 7:06PM EST
BGR

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Rovio, the developer behind the wildly successful Angry Birds franchise, announced on Monday that its forthcoming Android title Angry Birds Rio for Android will launch exclusively in the Amazon Appstore. Amazon announced in January that its app store, which will rival Google’s own Android Market on the Android platform, was open for developer submissions. The exclusive deal with Rovio marks Amazon’s first major coup in the space, as the title is expected to be a wildly popular game for Android. “The Android platform has seen phenomenal growth, and it’s great that new avenues for app distribution are opening up,” said Rovio CEO Mikael Hed in a statement. “The openness of the Android platform works for the benefit of consumers and developers alike. It has been delightful to team up with Amazon to bring the Angry Birds franchise to this great new application marketplace.” Rovio also announced that ad-free versions of Angry Birds and Angry Birds Seasons will be available for the first time on the Android platform exclusively through the Amazon Appstore. Hit the break for the full press release.

Angry Birds Rio for Android to Debut Exclusively in the Amazon Appstore

AUSTIN, Texas/ESPOO, Finland – March 14, 2011 – Rovio today announced that the highly anticipated game Angry Birds Rio will be introduced for the Android platform exclusively in the Amazon Appstore. Developed in conjunction with Twentieth Century Fox, Angry Birds Rio features the animated stars of the studio’s upcoming motion picture, RIO. Additionally, for the first time ever on the Android platform, fans of Angry Birds games will have the opportunity to purchase and download ad-free versions of Angry Birds and Angry Birds Seasons. Both will debut only in the Amazon Appstore.

“The Android platform has seen phenomenal growth, and it’s great that new avenues for app distribution are opening up,” said Mikael Hed, CEO of Rovio. “The openness of the Android platform works for the benefit of consumers and developers alike. It has been delightful to team up with Amazon to bring the Angry Birds franchise to this great new application marketplace.”

“Amazon is thrilled to work with a leading developer like Rovio in offering our customers Angry Birds Rio for Android exclusively in the Amazon Appstore,” said Aaron Rubenson, category leader for Amazon Appstore. “We think Angry Birds Rio is sure to be an instant customer favorite.”

“Angry Birds Rio is a fun and interactive way to introduce millions of fans to the exciting world of ‘RIO,’ and we are proud to work with both Rovio and Amazon to make this experience available to users on the Android platform,” said Peter Levinsohn, president of new media and digital distribution for Twentieth Century Fox. “The Amazon Appstore will be a great new way for consumers to download all their favorite Android apps, and we’re excited to offer Angry Birds Rio as one of the first pieces of content to be made available to consumers through this new store.”

In Angry Birds Rio, the original Angry Birds are kidnapped and taken to the magical city of Rio, where they eventually escape their captors and set out to save their friends, Blu and Jewel – two rare macaws and the stars of the upcoming Fox motion picture, RIO. From the creators of Fox’s blockbuster ICE AGE motion picture franchise, RIO debuts in theaters worldwide on April 15, 2011. Angry Birds Rio will launch with 60 dedicated levels, with more content to follow via app updates.

Angry Birds Rio will be available for download on Android phones and tablets at amazon.com/angrybirds.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.