Rovio exec founds new mobile studio Next Games

Rovio’s Teemu Huuhtanen has set up a new mobile development studio, Next Games, after leaving the Angry Birds maker.

Huuhtanen was previously Rovio’s vice president for mergers and acquisitions, but departed the company at the beginning of August to co-found his new studio.

Next Games is a five-person venture that intented to create free-to-play mobile games for iOS. It is located in Helsinki, Finland, an area which has seen a number of mobile start-ups string up.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Huuhtanen said that entrepreneurial ambitions, not opportunities being restricted at Rovio, were behind his exit.

“I hold Rovio at extremely high regard, and I expect its prodigious growth to continue,” he said.

He added: “There is right now a highly conducive atmosphere for start-ups in Finland, so when the right team came together, I couldn’t resist the opportunity of going back into the fray”

Before joining Rovio, Huuhtanen led a mobile games firm of his own. Afterwards he worked for nine years in different business development roles at Sulake Corporation, the firm behind the virtual world for children and teenagers.

Some ten high-level executives and key creatives have resigned from Rovio during the past two years.