If its recent moves are any indication, it is clear that the winter of the Angry Birds franchise might be made more tolerable for Rovio by heading East. Here the Finnish developer-turned-entertainment-group can take advantage of the staggering numbers of China’s mobile market and a Southeast Asian climate that doesn’t show the same signs of cooling to the company’s hit game.
After seeing its revenue essentially plateau from 2012 to 2013, the company had reason for concern with its staff expanding 60 percent during this same period. With just one IP built around a physics-based puzzle game, Rovio’s plan to double down on the free-to-play model and establish itself as a leading entertainment brand required making serious inroads in Asia. Recently, some of these moves bore fruit, and we should soon have a glimpse at how its future plans for Asia pan out.
As of last Friday, Angry Birds began featuring on the season finals of Chinese Idols, a singing talent competition broadcast via Shanghai Media Group, thanks to Rovio’s recent partnership with the digital entertainment business division of Alibaba Group. This is in addition to Angry Birds Stella becoming the first Rovio game to be published by Alibaba.
Speaking about the deal, CCO of Rovio, Pekka Rantala outlined the rationale for the partnership from Rovio’s perspective:
Working with Alibaba and Chinese Idols allows us to reach millions of new fans in China. We have a strong fan base in China. Combining our strengths will allow us to get even closer to our fans.
Indeed, forging strategic partnerships has become the preferred vehicle for riding out the often bumpy road atop other Asian regional mobile markets. With Angry Birds already expanded to other media, the partnership with Alibaba is a huge feather in Rovio’s cap.
The company has been focused on China for sometime, even when it was forced to see rampant piracy in the positive light of future opportunity. That future is now, and we will soon find out if that optimism was justified. Rovio certainly feels its approach to China has been more nuanced.
Last year, a company executive notably called out the tendency of Western companies to pander to Asia… with pandas. He argued that Rovio’s approach would be different, and saw the company itself as promoting Chinese culture. At the current rate, the company’s game itself is becoming an integral part of the cultural landscape, extending beyond the Middle Kingdom into nearby Southeast Asia.
In the works for nearly two years, the RM17 million (US$5.1 million) Angry Birds Activity Park finally opened in Malaysia’s Johor Baru at the end of last month. It’s the first such theme park in Southeast Asia. This park was expected to be completed much sooner, but it’s doubtful that its opportunities for growth in Southeast Asia are done. Asia as a whole is providing most of the games industry’s growth at present, but particularly for a child-friendly game and cartoon franchise like Angry Birds, it makes sense to focus on China and Southeast Asia, where people are actually still having babies.
While Angry Birds is truly a worldwide phenomenon, expect to see other big name mobile franchises from the West look to follow a similar path, seeking creative ways to explore the already huge Chinese market and to take advantage of the the massive projected growth of Southeast Asia.
The future of Rovio depends on it. It’s go big or go home in Asia, but having already adapted themselves to the climate here, the Angry Birds may not be able to thrive the same elsewhere going forward.
See: 5 things you need to know about Southeast Asia’s mobile gaming industry
This post Angry Birds’ moves in Asia not flying under the radar appeared first on Tech in Asia.
Angry Birds’ moves in Asia not flying under the radar
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