Rovio flogs TV animation arm

Rovio has flogged its TV animation studio, selling it, it’s book publishing business and some as-yet-unnamed "non-Angry Birds properties"

A statement was released on Monday which described the sales as part of an "ongoing reorganisation" of Rovio’s Animation Division, the same outfit that released The Angry Birds Movie in May last year. While this movie performed decently — returning $350m at the global box office on a $73m production budget — it seems the Vancouver TV animation studio was surplus to requirements and as such it’s been shipped to Kaiken Entertainment.

The company have a long-standing existing relationship, with Kaiken taking the role of "global master licensee" of all Angry Birds books since 2016 and Mikael Hed, Rovio’s former CEO, joining the company as executive chairman this month and joining a senior management team that is nearly entirely comprised of former Rovio staff.

Kaiken Entertainment has offices in Los Angeles, Helsinki and Vancouver.