Rovio’s Game of Layoffs: The Angry Birds’ Next Flight
In a twist that even a cartoon bird couldn’t dodge, Rovio—yes, the masterminds behind the flinging fowl phenomenon—is saying goodbye to 36 of its staff. Why the mass exodus? It seems that their beloved puzzle adventure, Angry Birds Dream Blast, has taken a nosedive in the revenue department, leaving the studio as thrilled as a bird caught in a catapult accident.
Dream Blast: A Flop in Feathered Form
Released back in 2018, Angry Birds Dream Blast was supposed to soar high, but instead, it appears to have flapped its wings straight into a brick wall of underperformance. Reports indicate that this insipid puzzle spin-off has left Rovio with less cash in hand than a bird trying to steal a pig’s lunch.
Structural Changes: Because Who Doesn’t Love a Good Restructure?
Enter the spokesperson from Rovio—the bearer of grim news and the personification of ‘let’s shake things up a bit’. According to the spokesperson, the studio is doing some rearranging in the hopes of giving their game quality a booster shot and aligning more closely with their new best friend, Sega, who swooped in for a merger two years ago.
In a statement that one could only assume was taken from the corporate buzzword bingo card, the spokesperson declared: “No games have been cancelled, but Angry Birds Dream Blast has unfortunately not been performing as expected.” Shocking, right? Groundbreaking news from the land of gaming.
Management Shake-Up: New Roles, Same Old Birds
As if the situation couldn’t get more colorful, Rovio plans to create new business units and rework the entire game studio layout. This includes the Puzzle studio in Finland, which will focus on fewer games—presumably to give it a better shot at success rather than multitasking like an octopus in a pickling factory. Meanwhile, the Barcelona office will suddenly cater to more games because, why not? More chaos can only lead to more fun!
The SEGA Situation: A Match Made in Corporate Heaven
So why the sudden need for all this change? Sega, the friendly neighborhood game developer, completed its acquisition of Rovio in August 2023 in the hopes of filling its own live service mobile portfolio with a bit of that classic Rovio charm. Apparently, Rovio’s expertise in mobile game operations is seen as the magic powder needed to sprinkle on Sega’s offerings. The duo plans to elevate mobile gaming to new heights—hopefully ones that involve soaring rather than plummeting.
Beyond the Birds: From Mobile to Multi-Platform
In an even wilder twist, Sega insists Rovio is itching to leap beyond the confines of mobile gaming—much like a bird seeking freedom. They want to assist in this transition because who doesn’t want to support a flock of enthusiastic game developers chasing their dreams of going beyond angry beaks and flying pigs?
So there it is, Rovio’s feathered adventure is taking a detour, with layoffs and restructures paving the way for a new era, or at least an era with fewer employees and more wild plans. Time will tell if they can fly free or if they’ll end up as just another sad story of gaming’s past.
