Angry Birds creators buy animation group

Rovio has acquired animation studio Kombo, the Angry Birds creators have announced.

Financial terms of the buyout were not announced, but it is understood that Kombo will be used for various animation duties as Rovio attempts to expand beyond gaming.

Rovio last year confirmed it is in talks regarding an Angry Birds movie.

The Espoo, Finland, mobile games giant also signed a deal with 20th Century Fox to associate the Angry Birds brand with the upcoming animated movie Rio.

Kombo is based close by to Rovio, in Helsinki.

"We have had a long and fruitful relationship with Kombo in the past," said Rovio CEO Mikael Hed.

"This acquisition is an important step in the execution of our media strategy. The attitude, creativity and quality of Kombo’s work is simply fantastic, and we look forward to delighting our fans with more Kombo animations."