Angry Birds has been downloaded more than 1 billion times. Parent Rovio has introduced a new
Pink Bird character and is adding seasonal variations every few weeks to keep players engaged with the game. There are lots of
merchandising deals in the works and Angry Birds is likely to remain popular for some time. It's not easy to know when a product has reached maturity, but Rovio is determined to extend the product life cycle and make Angry Birds a brand as long-lasting as Hello Kitty.
Meanwhile, Rovio is readying another brand franchise. It released its first non-Angry Birds game in June:
Amazing Alex, about a boy who thinks up creative ways to do things based on physics principles. And of course players get to help! Rovio bought the basics of this game from two developers who had originally called it
Casey's Contraptions. Alex has been received well so far, but will it have the long-lasting appeal of Angry Birds?
