Despite the success of the recently released mobile game Angry Birds 2, Finnish game company Rovio is making some major cutbacks. In the coming months, Rovio will “restructure and concentrate its activities around three primary business areas: games, media and consumer products,” according to a new press release issued by the company. At least 260 employees will be losing their jobs.
“This is personally a difficult decision,” Pekka Rantala, CEO, said. “However, it is certain that a leaner and more agile Rovio is absolutely necessary to move forward and take the company to new successes in the future. We will work with and support all our employees through this period of change.”
While Rovio has released games outside of the Angry Birds franchise, Rovio’s revenue is largely dependent on that franchise’s success, which for the last several years has dominated the mobile marketplace. There are over a dozen different versions of Angry Birds available for download on almost every device you can think of. The raging avians have inspired merchandise, a TV show, and even a few theme parks.
It seems, however, that Angry Birds may not have the longevity that Rovio needs to maintain its huge operation. Rovio currently employs about 700 people and has locations in London, New York, Stockholm, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, and in its hometown of Espoo, Finland. In March, Polygon reported that Rovio experienced a 73% fall in profits for 2014.
There is currently an Angry Birds film in production, but none of the employees working on that project will be impacted by the cutbacks. Every other part of the company, however, will be affected.
“In our current financial condition we must now put focus on where we are at our best,” Rantala continued, “In creating magnificent gaming experiences, in producing an amazing animation movie and in delighting our fans with great products.”
Check out our recent review of Angry Birds 2, or watch Simone’s video below to learn how to make your own Angry Birds out of cardboard boxes, PVC, and rubber balls.
