Rovio, the company behind the world-famous Angry Birds franchise, is getting ready to open its eighth studio, which will be located in Barcelona. Reportedly, Barcelona offices will collaborate as equals with the headquarters in Finland. This would mean that the new studio will probably have some creative freedom.
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The idea behind the Barcelona decision was that the time zones were relatively close to Finland’s and the city’s already thriving and growing talent pool. Rovio also mentioned that the new studio will have Senior Director of Live Operations Matthieu Burleraux at the helm.
The company hasn’t selected a physical office but says it won’t be long before it’s established. The team also has many available positions, such as Lead Level Designer, Game Artist, and Economy Designer. In the announcement, Burleraux shared this message about the launch of a new studio in Barcelona:
“Rovio Barcelona will have a strong focus on level design and live operations. Levels are critical to an excellent player experience in our games. We’re excited to build a strong in-house design capacity as our level designers are in charge of everything from the moment you enter a level to your win screen, from design mechanics to the level itself. Combined with us doubling down on Live Ops, we believe we will be able to provide everlasting games that feel alive and growing to our players.”
Rovio’s Head of Studios, Andy Muesse, also shared thoughts and feelings:
“This is an exciting step in our growth ambitions! Having a presence in southern Europe substantially expands our hiring potential and makes it easier to tap into a new pool of talent. I am looking forward to having new colleagues joining in Spain!”
Rovio has had an intriguing storyline up until now. The company created the first game of the Angry Birds franchise as their 52nd game on the brink of bankruptcy. The game got so popular that the “birds” went on to star in animations, movies, and plush toys.
Turkey, Izmir-based Ruby Games, a successful hyper-casual games studio, was acquired by Rovio last year. Along with Ruby Games, the company currently owns studios in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Canada.
