CEO of Rovio, Alex Pelletier-Normand reveals that they aren’t rushing to integrate NFT or blockchain technology or any technology which is not considered “sustainable” to their widely-popular Angry Birds IP. He did reveal that Rovio has explored blockchain technology for a good long while now but they plan to make moves into the space in what they deem is the right way.
This comes as a stark contrast to the huge boom early this year of mainstream gaming companies like Ubisoft, Square Enix and Team 17, immediately jumping on blockchain integration the first possible chance they get—often ending in less than favorable results for them
In an interview with Pocket Gamer, when asked about the blockchain Pelletier-Normand stated that Rovio is taking care to not identify with the technology:
“The Angry Birds brand has to remain safe and approachable. It appeals to a younger audience. We are very careful not to associate it with technology or tools that are not necessarily considered sustainable at this point. I’m not saying there’s no value that can be brought to Angry Birds players, but we are in no rush to do this.”
True to form looking to the future, Rovio’s blockchain aspirations are still unclear. The company has been exploring this technology for years, even before the current hype that has put it into the mainstream. In the quote above, Pelletier-Normand also even seems to acknowledge that the technology would be able to present some form of value to their playerbase. However, it seems Rovio may have taken a step back from what you would call “blockchain-based gaming” if compared with other companies in our industry today as stated by Pelletier-Normand that the current terminology does not align with the company’s direction.
“We’re game makers. We craft games, we create joy. And the only reason we have thought about it is because we believe there is a way this can bring value that is not based on speculation but instead truly brings intrinsic value to the consumer. Games are used for more than play now. They’re social networks, and if you give players the tools to create something within these universes, it just creates additional value to everybody.”
“So, we don’t call it blockchain, because that is a technical solution. We call it the designer economy. We’re trying to enable our players to be in an environment where they can interact, create, share, and even sell some of the things they’re making.”
It’s easy to see how Rovio is taking a different approach when it comes down to blockchain gaming. They’re not sold into the idea of targeting gamers who are already invested in the crypto world, but rather trying their best for those people that might be looking into getting onboard with cryptocurrencies or token sales at some point while staying true to their current core audience and what these guys want.
“Although our designer economy project is not using the Angry Birds brand, it certainly has wide appeal and is inclusive, and is a little more immersive than a casual game. We’re excited about it internally but we’re not ready to say too much about this title because we’re still in development.”
Rovio also famously trolled the denizens of the internet in 2018, tweeting a faux NFT project named CryptoBirdies based on the Angry Birds franchise. The tweet linked to the internet’s symbol of mischievous leg-pullery, Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give Up”.
Introducing the new CryptoBirdies, the cutest blockchain-based, cryptocollectable ever! Download the CryptoBirdies App, create an account and set up your cryptocurrency wallet NOW! – https://t.co/vIFjlcQCGn pic.twitter.com/065hN1CYLh
— Red the Angry Bird (@AngryBirds) April 1, 2018