Angry Birds firm axes 130 jobs as growth slows
Angry Birds maker Rovio is to take an axe to 130 jobs as it seeks to streamline operations amidst flagging growth of its core gaming brand.
The Finnish app producer will lose no less than 16 per cent of its headcount after its growth trajectory failed to live up to expectations following the recruitment of 300 staff in 2013.
In a blog post explaining the move Rovio chief executive Mikael Hed said: “We are an entrepreneurial company and have been exploring multiple areas. We have been building our team on assumptions of faster growth than have materialised.
“As a result, we announced today that we plan to simplify our organisation around our three key businesses with the highest growth potential: games, media, and consumer products.”
Despite the cutbacks Hed remains optimistic about Rovio’s future, claiming that the imminent launch of an Angry Birds themed animation and movie could ‘reignite growth’.
The number of global Angry Birds users has dipped from a peak of 263m in 2012 to just 200m today – with profits halving from €55.5m in 2012 to just €26.9m in 2013.