Sega has officially bought out Rovio, the developer behind Angry Birds, the company confirmed today.
On Feb. 6, Rovio went public about its considerations for a buyout. Rovio put out a statement, explaining that “the Board of Rovio continues to explore all strategic alternatives in order to reach the best possible outcome for Rovio and its shareholders.” At the time, Rovio had received an offer from Israel-based company Playtika: $9.74 per share or $735 million in total.
Shortly after, Rovio made the controversial move of removing Angry Birds (now titled Rovio Classics: Angry Birds) from the Google Play Store. The developer explained that the game had a negative impact on the rest of its games portfolio, including Angry Birds 2, Angry Birds Friends, and Angry Birds Journey. Rovio implored its fans to continue supporting these other games, even after Angry Birds’ unlisting from the App Store.
After a tease in April that Sega and Rovio were negotiating a deal, it is now officially confirmed that Sega succeeded in the buyout, acquiring Rovio for $776 million. Rovio’s statement of the buyout explains that Rovio shareholders have tendered 96.3 percent of “all issued and outstanding shares and votes in Rovio,” meaning the shareholders have sold their shares for money. Likewise, the statement says that at least 90 percent of Rovio’s shares will be acquired by Sega Europe.
Following Sega’s buyout confirmation today, Rovio tweeted “Blue meets Red! Happy to be part of the family.” The fact that such a popular IP is owned by such a well-known company suggests a lot of potential for Angry Birds going forward. It’s not outside the world of possibility that we might even see a crossover title with Sonic the Hedgehog.
