Angry Birds maker Rovio has announced it is laying off 260 employees as part of a “restructuring” of its business.
The Finnish gaming firm, which shot to prominence with its dangerously addictive slingshot mobile game, says it’ll now be focusing more on core offerings.
The job cuts, which account for more than a third of the company’s total workforce, will see the firm concentrate on games, media and consumer products.
Those working on the The Angry Birds Movie have survived the chop, Rovio says.
In a statement, Rovio CEO Pekka Rental admitted his company had attempted to expand too aggressively following the unprecedented success of Angry Birds.
He said: “This is personally a difficult decision. However, it is certain that a leaner and more agile Rovio is absolutely necessary to move forward and take the company to new successes in the future. We will work with and support all our employees through this period of change.
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“In our current financial condition we must now put focus on where we are at our best: in creating magnificent gaming experiences, in producing an amazing animation movie and in delighting our fans with great products.”
Related: Angry Birds 2 review
The company launched Angry Birds 2 this summer, which attracted 50 million downloads, but the freemium gameplay managed to turn off a lot of fans in the process.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.