Rovio have announced they were making an unexpected addition to their hit game Angry Birds 2. A new character, Melody the Songbird, will be unlockable as part of a limited time event running from November 24th until December 4th.
Melody’s gimmick is inhaling objects while singing and then shooting them out, helping her take out enemies and buildings with explosive event.
Although Angry Birds 2 has maintained its popularity through both brand recognition, including theme park attractions, and consistent updates such as the recent addition of the “Pick Your Flock” feature, the introduction of Melody marks the first new character introduced to the game in seven years.
Rovio have previously said they are planning to further expand the Angry Birds franchise, including into a cross-platform game called Angry Birds Next, as well as ten new titles both inside and outside the popular franchise.
Rovio rose to prominence on the back of the Angry Birds franchise, and the series has been a mainstay alongside other catalogues such as that of Candy Crush creator King and Supercell’s Clash of Clans franchise.
Why update now?
The fact is that live-service games rely on constant updates and additions to keep their audience invested. So, why then are Rovio adding a new character 7 years later? Well for one it shows Rovio are still interested in maintaining Angry Birds 2, but more than that it’s also a testament to the continued success of the franchise not only that they wish to return to the game, but that it has maintained an audience long enough for this to be considered worthwhile. Angry Birds’ gameplay is arguably a great example of evergreen mobile games, where a simple core gameplay loop, appealing presentation and format make it easy to maintain a steady stream of interest.
Players can unlock Melody through the in-game “Melody Adventure” event, a series of levels designed to utilise her unique abilities while introducing her to players.
Despite the dearth of new characters, Angry Birds 2 has become a massive success and helped send the franchise to new heights. The game broke $600 million in lifetime revenue in April 2021.
Earlier this year Rovio announced they had passed 5bn lifetime mobile downloads as well, with the Angry Birds franchise leading the charge. Rovio also saw revenue increase despite the downturn in video game revenue in general after the Covid pandemic peaks seen due to the growth of gaming as a pastime.
