Grounded

Cell developer Rovio has introduced that it’s delisting the unique version of its smash hit cellular title Offended Birds, as a result of “wider affect” the legendary title has on the studio’s free-to-play portfolio.

“We’ve reviewed the enterprise case of Rovio Classics: Offended Birds, and as a result of recreation’s affect on our wider video games portfolio, we’ve determined that Rovio Classics: Offended Birds will likely be unlisted from the Google Play Retailer on Thursday, twenty third February,” reads an official assertion posted to by Rovio to Twitter. “Moreover, the sport will likely be renamed to Pink’s First Flight within the App Retailer pending additional evaluate.”

“We perceive that is unhappy information for a lot of followers, in addition to the workforce that has labored arduous to make Rovio Classics: Offended Birds a actuality. We’re extraordinarily grateful to the Offended Birds followers who’ve proven their love of the model and this recreation from the start. We hope these followers can proceed to carry that zeal to our dwell Offended Birds slingshot video games corresponding to Offended Birds 2, Offended Birds Pals, and Offended Birds Journey, the place our aim each day is to craft the very best expertise for gamers.”

Please learn under for an essential announcement concerning the supply of Rovio Classics: Offended Birds. pic.twitter.com/a4n4bU5gQJ

— Rovio (@Rovio) February 21, 2023

As famous within the above assertion, the physics-based puzzler will likely be faraway from the Android retailer solely, whereas the iOS version will likely be retitled Pink’s First Flight, seemingly a manner to make sure that it now not seems on the highest of search outcomes for “Offended Birds”. Anyone who has beforehand picked up a replica of the sport will be capable of re-download the title at any level sooner or later.

In feedback to VGC, Rovio states that it’s important to the corporate’s progress that among the latter Offended Birds releases are allowed to flourish, noting that “the outlook of the whole firm modifications” if these newer titles will not be a hit. It must be famous that Rovio itself has just lately been in search of a sale, with the studio in preliminary talks with numerous potential new house owners.

Notably, the three titles referenced above are all free-to-play, microtransaction-driven releases, whereas the unique Offended Birds title was a single-purchase launch, initially bought for 99 cents, with a number of enlargement packs supplied up post-release. Over 12 million copies of the sport could be bought in its launch 12 months, with the Offended Birds title changing into synonymous with what could be deemed “informal gaming”.