By Joe Arico | Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:55 pm
Rovio plans to release "Angry Birds Space" across multiple platforms -- iOS, Android, Mac and PC -- on March 22, taking a high-risk, high-reward approach to the hugely-successful franchaise.The sequel to the hit Angry Birds will feature sixty new levels, along with all new characters and few changes to the gameplay. Angry Birds Space will feature the same basic premise as its predecessor, as the birds fight the evil pigs to win back their eggs, but the space setting will allow players to "have fun with physics."
Developer Rovio filmed a promotional video in the International Space Station, with NASA astronaut Don Pettit demonstrating the type of challenges gravity, or lack thereof, will present players with when the game launches.
"We focused on every detail in development of Angry Birds Space to build a special experience for our fans," said Rovio chief marketing officer Peter Vesterbacka. "I believe we have succeeded well with the game, and we wanted to create something unique around our launch events."
Space will debut to overwhelming expectations, after the original Angry Birds title set new high marks for sales and performance of a smartphone game. Users have downloaded the title more than 11 million times for iOS since it launched in December 2008, and reportedly 40 million users still play the game each month.
Rovio launched several expansion packs such as Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Seasons, which have each been downloaded several million times, but Space is the first true sequel in the franchise. The success of everything the developer has released makes the changes to the gameplay in Space even more of a risk.
The title will likely see an overwhelming number of downloads at launch due to users' curiosity, but if they are not receptive to the changes in the series, it won't just hurt sales of the game but damage the Angry Birds brand.
Rovio has expanded outside of smartphone software into toys, apparel and other merchandise. If Space is a hit, the company will continue to grow, but if it flops, look for the developer to revert back to its original formula with its next entry in the series.
Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:06 pm | By Happitaps released the iPhone Interactive Bear, a high-tech teddy for the youngest Apple fans, signaling that no age is too early to heed the iPhone's siren song.
Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:47 pm | By AT&T is quickly selling the new iPad, confounding expectations its limited 4G network would hamper its growth.
Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:31 pm | By Colleges and employers are demanding access to private Facebook and Twitter profiles, as the debate over online privacy continues to escalate.
Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:18 pm | By Verizon plans to release the LG Lucid, which runs an old Android operating system, on March 29, highlighting the Korean company's struggles and lagging product line.
Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:09 pm | By The U.S. Justice Department may sue Apple and a handful of major book publishers, accusing them of collaborating to keep e-book prices high.
Editorials & Opinion By Margaret Rock
A new set of badges are bringing young Boy and Girl Scouts into the 21st century, catering to an emerging group of "digital natives" integrating technological know-how into every aspect of their lives. 
