What if Rovio Entertainment became good again?

Rovio Entertainment Oyj (formerly Relude Oy and Rovio Mobile Oy) is a Finnish video game developer based in Espoo. Founded in 2003 by Helsinki University of Technology students Niklas Hed, Jarno Väkeväinen and Kim Dikert, the company is best known for the Angry Birds franchise. The company currently operates studios in Barcelona, Toronto, Montreal, Espoo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. The company's success has helped to establish Finland as a leading player in the mobile game industry and has helped to create a thriving ecosystem for game development in the country.

Between 2016 and 2019, Rovio then faced a period of decline. During this time, the company made the decision to remove its older Angry Birds games, began using The Angry Birds Movie designs excessively, jumped on popular trends, and incorporated microtransactions into its games.

An interesting turn of events occurred in 2021, when Rovio created a "Letter to our Fans" article, telling fans that the company will be bringing back the older games due to the "Bring Back 2012" hashtag. In 2022, Rovio released Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, a remake of the original game. This game garnered more attention than Rovio's newer games and was subsequently taken down on the Google Play Store in 2023. This once again angered many fans.

In August 2023, Sega acquired Rovio for US$776, marking it as a subsidiary of the Sega Europe division. So far, Sega hasn't done anything to help the company.

But what if Rovio was rebranded as a successful company once again?

Changes

• All of Rovio's official social media channels (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, Facebook, Official Website, and the Angry Birds Gaming channel) start re-branding, using the AB Classic branding, logos, and character designs. This leads to fans speculating that Rovio is working on something big.
• A strict new internal policy was enforced to limit the use of The Angry Birds Movie designs and instead prioritize the classic designs across all merchandise, games, animations and marketing materials. The Movie designs were now retired (but will only be used in the films).
• Rovio would stop following recent trends, ignore many pop culture references, and prevent incorporating them into its games, TV series, and movies.
• A comprehensive relaunch of "Heritage Merchandise" would be scheduled for early 2026. This included bringing back Plushies, Sticker Books, Accessories, Board Games (specifically K'Nex and Mattel lines), Snacks/Gummies, Comics, Books, Posters, and the interactive Telepods line (for Star Wars II, Stella, Transformers and GO!).
• Rovio would improve communication with its fans, provide development updates, and genuinely listen to feedback on game design and content direction.
• Rovio would hire a new CEO who actually makes good decisions and cares about its fans. The new CEO communicates the "Back to Basics" strategy to all staff, emphasizing the shift away from microtransaction-heavy new IPs to the classic core games.
• By late 2025, Rovio would address their fans through another apology letter, expressing their deep commitment to recapturing the success they experienced in the past. First, they shared their strategic focus on reviving their older games, which had garnered significant popularity. Additionally, they outlined their plan to discontinue their newer games (AB Blast, AB Dream Blast, AB Journey, AB Evolution, AB Match 3, AB Block Quest, etc.), particularly the ones with microtransactions, in order to align with their renewed dedication to their core gaming experiences. This was a financial risk but strategically essential to prove commitment to the new philosophy. Angry Birds Reloaded however, remained on the App Store.

Media

• Rovio would create a "What's in the Nest" development diary that discusses the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding the classic games in Unity, fixing bugs, and designing the third Angry Birds film.
• A fourth season of Angry Birds Toons was commissioned, reintroducing fan-favorite characters Hal, Silver, Stella and Ruby (the female Red Bird) to the animated format. Bubbles will also have a more significant role in the series, rather than just appearing in Halloween episodes.
• The Angry Birds Movie 2 will no longer be acknowledged.
• Angry Birds Slingshot Stories will still continue, but the next seasons will feature Bubbles, Silver, Ruby, Ice Bird, Hal and Stella.
• The upcoming third Angry Birds Movie was completely retooled and greenlit as a superior adaptation of Angry Birds Space.
• Rovio would be seen as a company that cares about its history and its community, repairing a lot of the goodwill lost over the years due to aggressive monetization and game cancellations.
• Rovio would do better at advertising their games.
• In the distant future, Rovio will ensure that support for the returning Angry Birds games continues indefinitely, rather than abandoning them.
• The Angry Birds franchise would once again trend on the internet just like in the early 2010s.

Changes of the Angry Birds franchise

• Angry Birds will evolve beyond being just for kids and create content reminiscent of its early days.
• Hal, Bubbles, Tony, Ice Bird, Ruby, Hockey Bird, Mighty Dragon, Willow, Poppy, Luca, Dahlia, and Gale were assured significant roles in future content. Also, the original King Pig will be used more often instead of Leonard from the Angry Birds films.
• The character Silver would revert back to her 2015 design. She'll also get an official classic design.
  • Not only that, but Silver will get her own official K'Nex set, Mattel set, and a non-expensive Plushie.

• Unused prototype birds will appear in media.
• The games return to using original physics-based puzzle formats.
• There will be no more repeated Match-3 games.

Games

• The entire suite of classic games (Angry Birds Classic, Seasons, Rio, Space, Star Wars I & II, Go!, Stella, Epic) was systematically re-released across all major platforms: App Store, Google Play, iPadOS, Windows, macOS and Chromebook.
  • A dedicated team began the monumental task of rebuilding the entire classic game portfolio in the Unity Engine (based on the Rovio Classics: Angry Birds model). A strict new QA process was implemented to eliminate bugs before release.
    • Due to Rovio Classics: Angry Birds being renamed to Red's First Flight, the former original name would return.
      • Amazing Alex, RETRY and Tiny Thief would also return, now under the Rovio Classics names.
• The Sega logo will appear in the games alongside the Rovio logo.
• All of the official flash games (including Angry Birds Chrome) would also return but as PC games.
• Rovio accounts would be brought back into all of the games.
• Ice Bird would be added to Angry Birds Go! after this plan was previously scrapped.
• The HD, Free, HD Free, and Lite versions of the games would return.
  • Also, Angry Birds Star Wars II will get an HD version for the first time.
• Following successful negotiations with The Walt Disney Company (which holds the Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox/Blue Sky IP), Rovio secured new long-term licensing agreements, enabling the return of Angry Birds Rio, Angry Birds Star Wars and Angry Birds Star Wars II.
• Collaborations with other franchises would be toned down, as Rio, Star Wars and Transformers will be the only current crossovers.
• Angry Birds Friends will be redeveloped to its 2012 version.
• Toons TV returns as a standalone app and was once again integrated directly into the games.
• Angry Birds Trilogy (2012) was remastered and released for modern consoles (Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, etc.).
• Angry Birds 2 underwent a huge redevelopment back to its Under Pigstruction prototype state. The microtransaction-heavy features were gutted: hat sets, the Tower of Fortune, and the energy system were all removed.
• All games are now distributed by both Rovio and Sega. Rio, Star Wars, and Star Wars II are co-owned and distributed by Disney.
• Most of Rovio's past cancelled games would return but with improvements.
  • Elements from a cancelled game, Angry Birds Hatchery Island, will become a sperate episode in Angry Birds Classic, basically titled "Hatchery Island."

Games and Features

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds

1. You now have the option to change the main menu theme to the original Angry Birds theme, the Angry Birds Trilogy theme, or the Angry Birds Mighty League theme.
2. You can change the game style to Pre-Chrome, or just Chrome.
3. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited power-ups, unlimited Mighty Eagle sardines, unlimited Shockwave, and ad removal.
4. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
5. The Red's Mighty Feathers episode finally has an ending.
6. Unused sound effects will be used.
7. The Golden King Pig levels will return.
8. The game is based on version 6.0.1, the last version of the game before The Angry Birds Movie content was used.
   1. Despite that, the episode and level selections are designed like version 2.1.0.
9. The episodes available are: Poached Eggs, Mighty Hoax, Danger Above, The Big Setup, Ham 'Em High, Mine and Dine, Birdday Party, Bad Piggies, Red's Mighty Feathers, Short Fuse, Flock Favorites, BirdDay 5, Surf and Turf, Golden Eggs, and Hatchery Island.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Seasons

1. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited power-ups, unlimited Mighty Eagle sardines, unlimited Shockwave and Telebird, and ad removal.
2. You can change the sprites to Pre-Chrome, or just Chrome.
3. All of the old episodes are unlocked.
4. The game is based on version 4.3.0.
5. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
6. More of the game's text became localizable, which allowed the game to be presented in more languages.
7. The episodes available are: Trick or Treat, Season's Greedings, Hogs and Kisses, Go Green Get Lucky, Easter Eggs, Summer Pignic, Moon Festival, Ham 'O' Ween, Wreak the Halls, Year of the Dragon, Cherry Blossom, Piglantis, Back to School, Haunted Hogs, Winter Wonderham, Abra-Ca-Bacon, Artic Eggspedition, South Hamerica, Ham Dunk, and On Finn Ice.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Rio

1. You now have the option to change the main menu theme to the original Angry Birds Rio theme, the Angry Birds Rio 2 theme.
2. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited power-ups, unlimited Mighty Eagle sardines, unlimited Call the Flock power-ups, and ad removal.
3. The Awards section will come back.
4. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
5. More of the game's text became localizable, which allowed the game to be presented in more languages.
6. The episodes available in Rio 1 are: Smugglers' Den, Jungle Escape, Beach Volley, Carnival Upheaval, Airfield Chase Smugglers' Plane, Market Mayhem, and Golden Beach Ball.
7. The episodes available in Rio 2 are: Playground, Rocket Rumble, High Dive, Blossom River, Timber Tumble, and Hidden Harbor. Treasure Hunt has been removed.

Angry Birds Friends

1. The game will go back to being based on version 1.11.1.7. However, there will still be new advents.
2. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
   • You can once again connect your Facebook account to it.
3. Old features like the Bird-O-Matic, Power-Up Practice, Tutorial, and Golden Eggs will return.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Space

1. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited power-ups, unlimited Mighty Eagle sardines, and ad removal.
2. The original theme is present instead of the current one.
3. The game is based on version v1.6.5.
4. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
5. More of the game's text became localizable, which allowed the game to be presented in more languages.
6. The episodes available are: Pig Bang, Cold Cuts, Fry Me to the Moon, Utopia, Red Planet, Pig Dipper, Cosmic Crystals, Brass Hogs, Eggsteroids, and Danger Zone. A new episode called, "Back to Earth" will serve as the final episode of the game.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Star Wars

1. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited power-ups, unlimited Mighty Falcons, and ad removal.
2. The Path of the Jedi episode is completely free.
3. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
4. The main theme plays a lot more.
5. More of the game's text became localizable, which allowed the game to be presented in more languages.
6. The episodes available are: Tatooine, Death Star, Hoth, Cloud City, Moon of Endor, Death Star II, Boba Fett Missions, Path of the Jedi, and Bonus.

Rovio Classics: Bad Piggies

While the game is still available to download there are still some changes.

1. The older version of the theme song is used.
2. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited power-ups and ad removal.
3. It is renamed to Rovio Classics: Bad Piggies.
4. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Star Wars II

1. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited characters, unlimited coins, and ad removal.
2. The Angry Birds Star Wars theme plays a lot more often.
3. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
4. All episodes are available.
5. Telepods will work.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds GO!

1. The game is based on version 1.8.7, instead of the infamous 2.0.0 version.
2. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited cupcakes, unlimited coins, and ad removal.
3. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
4. All episodes are available.
5. Ice Bird is present in the game. You can unlock him in Sub Zero.
6. Telepods will work. Also, a new, exclusive Ice Bird Telepod will be created.
7. The game will finally have an ending.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Epic

1. The arena will open back up.
2. The game includes a premium feature that offers lucky coins and ad removal.
3. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Stella

1. The game won't crash when it opens.
2. You can use Telepods.
3. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.

Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Transformers

While the game is still available to download there are still some changes.

1. The game includes a premium feature that offers unlimited coins and gems, and ad removal.
2. You can use Telepods.
3. It is renamed to Rovio Classics: Angry Birds Transformers.
4. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.

Angry Birds 2: Under Pigstruction

1. Features like the Tower of Fortune, hats, gems, and the energy system are completely gone. Spells, Mighty Eagle, and Flock Power still remain.
2. The game is based on its soft launch version, with a few minor tweaks here and there.
3. You can create a Rovio account to save progress on any device.
4. Stella, Bubbles, Hal and Melody will still be present.
5. Ice Bird and Ruby will be introduced in the game for the first time.
6. Leonard and the Hatchling are no longer in the game.
7. When played long enough, the game will actually have an ending.

Toons TV.

1. You can create a Rovio account to save your watch history on any device.
2. The app will only feature 2009-2015 Angry Birds content.