Rovio to Cut Staff, Focus on Angry Birds Film

ESPOO: Rovio Entertainment, the Finnish company behind the Angry Birds franchise, is set to eliminate up to 260 staff in a business restructure that will see it focus heavily on movie productions.

The layoffs will not affect the team working on The Angry Birds Movie in the U.S. and Canada. That film is due out May 2016. The company last reduced its staff in late 2014, when it let go of 110 employees.

“While we have gathered good momentum this year, especially with the launch of the Angry Birds 2 game—downloaded nearly 50 million times in its first month of release—fundamental changes are needed to ensure Rovio succeeds in its global ambitions to be the leading entertainment company with mobile games at its heart,” said Rovio CEO Pekka Rantala. “This is personally a difficult decision. 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.”

Rantala continued: “Rovio’s growth and eagerness to explore new business opportunities over the past few years has been exceptional. As a result, we did too many things. In our current financial condition we must now put focus on where we are at our best: in creating magnificent gaming experiences, in producing an amazing animation movie and in delighting our fans with great products.”