Category: Rovio Entertainment

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The Angry Birds are Going Mental With New VR Content and AR Game

Rovio Entertainment’s Angry Birds franchise dipped its toes into the immersive waters of mixed reality (MR) last year with a Magic Leap version, followed by a virtual reality (VR) edition in February. This is all thanks to a collaboration with Resolution Games and it looks like the pair aren’t stopping there, expanding the VR version in terms of content and support, as well as announcing an augmented reality (AR) videogame for mobile.

Angry Birds VR

On the Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs the title is now arriving on Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets today, with a PlayStation VR version landing next Tuesday, 26th March. Additionally, the videogame will be getting 13 new levels in a spooky update.

Fans will now have to battle a new boss pig, Dr. Frankenswine, who takes over the entire island, steals the eggs and turns it into a petrifying paradise. Set on Maliboo Beach, players will find new gameplay elements, including the Alchemy Bomb, and the tricksy cube that transforms other blocks when it explodes.

“The response to the game so far has been very motivating. We’ve been eager to get the game live on more platforms and are ready for more players to try their hand at the virtual slingshot,” said Tommy Palm, Resolution Games co-founder and CEO in a statement. “We’ve also been listening to community feedback and are excited to get the new content out, which will add new challenges for those star-seeking players.”

Angry Birds AR Rocky Ruins Level

And then there is the Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs which is coming to iOS devices. Using Apple’s ARKit technology players will now be able to view the videogame in a whole new way, able to overlay the 3D buildings into the real world, helping get that perfect shot and angle.

“We’re delighted to bring the beloved physics-based gameplay of Angry Birds to life through augmented reality,” said Kati Levoranta, CEO at Rovio Entertainment. “It’s an especially timely moment to bring our avian friends to mobile AR for the first time, as this year marks the tenth anniversary since the release of the first Angry Birds game.”

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is available now for $14.99 USD/ £11.39 GBP on Steam for Windows Mixed Reality headsets as well as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs is available for pre-order today on the App Store, with the global release due to happen in Spring 2019 featuring at least 40 levels. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.

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Review: Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs

When it comes to mobile videogames only a very select few have probably made it to almost every device on the market, in some form. Franchises like Candy Crush and Angry Birds are synonymous with addictive mobile gaming, whether you’re on the train or killing time at work. Now, thanks to a collaboration between Rovio Entertainment and Resolution Games, the iconic bird flinging title has not only been brought into 3D but also to virtual reality (VR). But beware, because Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs has lost none of the series’ charms.

Angry Birds VRWhat’s great right from the word go is that both studios haven’t tried to do anything radically different that might alienate the core Angry Birds audience that has followed the franchise since 2009. Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is still very much part of the family, both in its design and light-hearted comedy overtones. You instantly feel at home in the warming embrace of the first level’s exotic island, ready to start dispatching pigs from your land.

Just like the 2D version, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is all about catapulting those brightly coloured birds at the pig’s various fortresses, finding that perfect weak point to bring it all crumbling down with a single perfect shot. If you’ve played any VR title with a bow then you’ll be right at home here, with the catapult automatically loading a bird for you, all you need to do is pull back the elastic, aim with the dotted reticule and fire.

All the usual familiar faces are there to, from Red, the angriest of Angry Birds, yellow Chuck whose special ability is speed, and Bomb who has an explosive personality. None are individually selectable, with each level giving you a select quota to complete the challenge.

Angry Birds VRIdeally suited to seated gameplay rather than standing or roomscale, these 3D fortresses are no longer designed to be hit from one direction, with each level offering different points in the scenery to which you can teleport to. This certainly helps to give a better viewpoint on the more difficult levels, revealing hidden TNT boxes, certain structural weak points or a sneaky green pig trying to avoid your attention. These are fixed, however, so you can’t fully view each building which is a little shame but won’t hinder getting maximum stars.

Again, the same mechanics apply. To complete a level you’ll need to kill all the pigs. That’ll get you a single star. To get a maximum of three stars you not only need to cause total carnage but do it with as few a birds as possible. And there are quite a few levels to complete, with four different locations to play through each with 13 stages, the final one being a Boss level. Just like its brethren, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs leans heavily on repetition, going through the levels quickly the first time gaining one or two stars, then spending time perfecting each level for those three stars.

Rovio Entertainment and Resolution Games have certainly played it safe with Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs. While there aren’t really any major surprises when it comes to content and gameplay the adaption to VR has worked superbly well, with the studios retaining the high production values they’re known for. Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is Angry Birds just in VR, and that’s no bad thing, equally fun and frustrating as it ever was.

80%

Awesome

  • Verdict
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‘Angry Birds VR’ Now Available on Rift & Vive, More VR Platforms Coming Soon

Resolution Games and Rovio Entertainment today launched the next installment in the Angry Birds series, this time built from the ground-up for VR. Dubbed Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs (2019), the bird-shooting puzzle game is now available on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

The game boasts 50+ levels designed to bring a new dimension to the popular mobile franchise, letting you take the slingshot in your own hands and destroy the topsy-turvy 3D structures in effort to kill the evil green piggies within. As a VR-native, you can approach each level from a variety of different angles to find that one-shot, three-star victory you’re painfully addicted to.

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The studio plans to launch Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs across “additional VR platforms” in the coming months, and will also be updating with more levels and gameplay. As it is now, the game features four bird-brained ammo types, and two enemy classes, so there’s no doubt plenty of opportunity to flesh out with the franchise’s other tropes.

Resolution Games is both developer and publisher of Angry Birds VR, having developed Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot for Magic Leap One, and also VR titles Bait!, Bait! Arctic Open, Wonderglade, Narrows, and Solitaire Jester.

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is available today for $15 on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive through the Oculus Store (Rift only), Steam and Viveport.

The post ‘Angry Birds VR’ Now Available on Rift & Vive, More VR Platforms Coming Soon appeared first on Road to VR.

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‘Angry Birds VR’ is Coming to All Major VR Platforms in 2019

Rovio’s Angry Birds defined the early days of mobile games. Now, the studio has set their sights on consumer VR with their next installment of their incredibly popular pig-smashing title. Called Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs, the game is set to debut early next year on “all major VR platforms,” the studio says.

The made-for-VR game is currently under development by Rovio and VR/AR studio Resolution Games, the minds behind VR titles such as Wonderglade and the Bait! series.

While we don’t know much about gameplay mechanics yet, it’s possible the Magic Leap One release of Angry Birds: FPS – First Person Slingshot may hold some answers. Resolution Games was also involved in its making, a title that does away with the standard side-scrolling gameplay for a more immersive first-person experience of physically shooting a slingshot at the 3D piggy fort.

Here’s Rovio and Resolution’s description of Angry Birds VR:

“Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs will allow fans of the incredibly popular franchise to swoop in on a remote island to take on the infamous green pigs with the help of their favorite Angry Birds characters.”

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Surprisingly enough, this isn’t the first time Rovio has jumped into virtual reality with some flavor of Angry Birds for VR. The company demoed a first-person prototype on Gear VR as far back as 2015 at the Rock in Rio festival that summer, although it never saw public release afterwards. The studio is also working on an upcoming VR arcade experience for its the release of The Angry Birds Movie 2 film.

Angry Birds VR is slated to arrive in early 2019 on “all major VR platforms.” The studios are staying mum on exactly which platforms these will be, although we’d expect to see at very least a respective versions for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR, and possibly also mobile VR platforms such as Oculus Go, Google Daydream, and maybe even Oculus Quest when it launches next year.

The post ‘Angry Birds VR’ is Coming to All Major VR Platforms in 2019 appeared first on Road to VR.

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Rovio and Resolution Games are Working on Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs

Rovio Entertainment has created numerous iterations of its popular mobile title Angry Birds. The studio teamed up with Resolution Games (Bait!) on the creation of Magic Leap experience Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot, and today both companies have revealed their next collaboration, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs.

Angry Birds VR Isle of Pigs Logo

Just like all the other instalments in the franchise, players will be taking on the infamous green pigs with the help of their favourite Angry Birds characters. Apart from the above image and logo Rovio and Resolution Games have yet to reveal how the gameplay will work in virtual reality (VR), whether it’ll go with a more fleshed out 2D version, or full 3D, maybe in a tabletop guise?

Kati Levoranta, CEO at Rovio Entertainment, commented in a statement: “Introducing the Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is an exciting step for Rovio in exploring the future of gaming. We are thrilled that millions of Angry Birds fans will soon be able to literally step into the Angry Birds universe with the powerful sense of presence you get with VR. Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs continues to demonstrate the many unforeseen ways fans can interact with their favourite characters and gameplay.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Rovio to bring their beloved franchise to VR,” said Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “Angry Birds lends itself perfectly to VR, where players can experience the already highly engaging characters and gameplay mechanics in a much more tangible and immersive way than ever. Just as Angry Birds was applauded for its intuitive controls and gameplay on mobile, we feel Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs will continue that legacy for VR.”

Angry Birds VR Isle of Pigs Coming Soon Image

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is expected to launch in early 2019, ‘across all major VR platforms’, the press release notes. When VRFocus has further details regarding the title, we’ll let you know.

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Hands On With the Angry Birds on Magic Leap

Magic Leap has received a great of attention and funding over the time its product has been in development, with many people keen to see what the company could produce that could change the paradigm of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). The team from VRFocus managed to get hands on with one of the first major videogame releases on the Magic Leap One.

Angry Birds is one of the most popular and successful smartphone titles, and Nina Salomons of VRFocus reports how well it has survived the transition into MR.

Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot

Firstly, Nina reports on the Magic Leap headset itself, “Its quite complicated to put on. There is an extension mechanism at the back, but when you have log hair, it keeps sliding off. I had to put my hair in a bun. Plus, women’s clothes don’t have pockets, so there was nowhere for the batteries needed for the headset to run.”

“You all know the game of Angry Birds,” Nina begins, “This was Resolution Games working together with Rovio who own the IP of Angry Birds. This was a perfect match, as Resolution Games have done a lot of work in virtual reality (VR) and are very interested in the emerging space of mixed reality.”

“Playing Angry Birds on the Magic Leap headset was a lot of fun,” Nina enthuses, “On the coffee table there were these obstacles with the green little pigs, and the pigs reacted to where you were, so they understood where I was and they were taunting me.”

“These are three-dimensional digital objects on your coffee table in real life, but the way the spacial awareness is laid out, without the trajectory lines makes it a little bit trickier.” Nina said, commenting on how difficult the MR version is compared to the smartphone equivalent.

Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot

The full hands-on video can be viewed below. For future coverage on the Magic Leap One and other VR and MR devices, keep checking back with VRFocus.

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Swing Into Action With Angry Birds: FPS On Magic Leap

Angry Birds is one of the most successful smartphone titles on the market, seeing an astonishing number of downloads as well as spin-offs and licensed versions such as Star Wars Angry Birds. Now Angry Birds are fluttering into mixed reality (MR) as Rovio and Resolution Games launch Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot on the Magic Leap One.

Angry Birds: FPS is billed as the first videogame experience developed entirely by an independent developer for Magic Leap’s platform which brings Angry birds to life as they are overlaid on top of the real world.

Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot

The baisc idea is much the same as the smartphone version, in that you use a slingshot, using the Angry Birds themselves as ammunition to known over structures made by the enemies of the Angry Birds – the Green Pigs.

Kait Levorantia, CEO of Rovia Entertainment, commented: “It’s great to offer Angry Birds fans a completely new and unforeseen way to play the beloved Angry Birds. Resolution Games has done an excellent job at developing the Angry Birds to Magic Leap One. We’re always looking for opportunities to expand to new technologies and platforms, and Angry Birds FPS is an exciting step forward into the future of gaming.”

“Rovio has established an incredibly successful and beloved entertainment franchise with Angry Birds. By taking Angry Birds to Magic Leap’s spatial computing platform, we’re giving fans one of the most engaging, interactive and immersive experiences possible,” said Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “It really is quite remarkable that in 2018 we’re able to use full spatial gameplay and light field technology to enjoy these classic game mechanics and characters in our own environments. Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot demonstrates the true impact mixed reality technologies can have on the games industry.”

Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot

Angry Birds: FPS is available for free on Magic Leap One Creator Edition through the official Magic Leap website. For future coverage on Magic Leap and other upcoming mixed reality titles, keep checking back on VRFocus.

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Rovio Entertainment Is Planning A New AR App Called Project Magic

The company behind the phenomenally popular Angry Birds franchise has now announced it is working on developing a state-of-the-art augmented reality (AR) app, referred to as ‘Project Magic’ which is planned to provide rich AR experiences for brands, retailers and consumers.

The new app from Rovio Entertainment will transport consumers to a new world which lets them engage with branded content experiences, providing a link between digital and physical licensed products. The app is planned to be released in 2019.

Angry Birds Header

Project Magic will let fans of Angry Birds use an AR portal to travel to the home of the Angry Birds, called ‘Bird Island’. There, users will be able to explore the island and take part in various AR experiences and enjoy high-quality AR locations.

Simo Hämäläinen, Senior Vice President, Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment, commented: “Project Magic represents a major licensing milestone for Rovio’s Brand Licensing Unit as our vision of being able to add digital overlay to licensed products is now reality. We’ve been working diligently alongside our long-time AR partner Zappar to create a cool, always on digital brand licensing ecosystem that not only adds value to consumers, but also helps to bridge the physical and digital worlds of Angry Birds. Licensing partners will have an incredible opportunity to create exceptional branded content experiences across our physical and digital touch points, and our consumers will be able to immerse themselves even further in the wonderful world of the Angry Birds.”

Rovio is developing Project Magic alongside AR specialists Zappar, in order to build on previous work in the AR field conducted by both Rovia and Zappar.

Max Dawes, Partnerships & Marketing Director, at Zappar, commented: “Over the past seven years working in the augmented reality space we’ve learnt a lot about how companies can create value with AR. We’re beyond excited to be able to leverage those learnings on such a huge scale with the fantastic team at Rovio. A brand’s largest owned media channels are their products, their packaging and their stores: through the addition of interactive Angry Birds content these channels can surprise, delight and entertain consumers like never before. In addition, Rovio’s partners will see hard data on when and how consumers are interacting. We can’t wait to unleash the magic!”

For future coverage of Rovio’s work with AR, keep checking back with VRFocus.

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Angry Birds Gets a Mixed Reality Makeover for Magic Leap One

Resolution Games has already made a name for itself in the virtual reality (VR) industry with videogames like Bait!, Wonderglade and Narrows, while Rovio Entertainment has yet to enter the immersive market. That’s going to change soon enough, with both companies collaboration on a new mixed reality (MR) experience for the Magic Leap One Creators Edition headset, Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot.

Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot

Bringing its insanely popular mobile title to the new MR device, Rovio’s Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot will put players inside the Angry Birds universe like never before, providing a first-person slingshot to let them see animated characters and objects overlaid onto their actual environment.

Keeping with the tried and tested format everyone knows where you get to fling various coloured birds – each with their own unique ability – at a range of green pig filled buildings, just this time in 3D.

Kati Levoranta, CEO at Rovio Entertainment, commented in a statement: “We’re excited to expand the Angry Birds brand and universe to new and emerging platforms like Magic Leap, delivering fans a unique way to engage with their favorite characters. Resolution Games has done an incredible job bringing Angry Birds to life in a new experience that will let players see and feel what it’s like to battle the pigs like never before.”

Angry Birds: First Person Slingshot

“It has been an incredible experience bringing Rovio’s massively successful and beloved entertainment franchise to mixed reality,” said Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “Developing for the Magic Leap platform was a very unique and inspiring process for our team, and we’re confident fans will love how the game is brought to life.”

Rovio and Resolution Games will be releasing Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot for Magic Leap One Creators Edition this Fall. This follows a similar announcement by Funomena yesterday regarding its fairy tale experience Luna: Moondust Garden, also coming to the headset in the next couple of months. Due to the expense and limited availability of the headset, the audience is going to be very small, but they should showcase what Magic Leap One Creators Edition is capable of. For further updates on Angry Birds FPS: First Person Slingshot, keep reading VRFocus.