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Biz Daily: Does Angry Birds 2 have a F2P problem?
Key insights
5 takeaways- 01Rovio transitioned Angry Birds 2 to a modern free-to-play model featuring an energy mechanic that limits progression, a shift intended to address the company's nine percent revenue decline from the previous year.
- 02Internal data from the game's soft launch phase indicated that the new monetization mechanics were well-received, leading Rovio to conclude that current user backlash represents a vocal minority.
- 03Management frames the aggressive implementation of in-app purchases as a necessary modernization to align with 2015 market expectations rather than a reactionary measure.
- 04To mitigate user dissatisfaction, Rovio is segmenting its audience by continuing to support its classic titles for players who prefer traditional experiences over modern, service-based mobile gaming.
- 05Rovio reports that 90 percent of players historically never spent money on the original Angry Birds, prompting a strategy shift to better balance accessibility with revenue generation.
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Transcript
hello and welcome to biz daily my name is alyssia judge and today we're taking a closer look at one of the biggest stories of this month angry birds 2 has launched on ios and android 6 years and 13 spin-offs since the original launched in 2009. so far early reviews have been positive although we've been hearing some rumblings of discontent mostly thanks to a new series of in-app purchases including a new energy mechanic that requires you to buy extra lives to progress we chatted with the general manager of rovios.com oscar berman about the making of angry birds and you can read that on site now that's gone live but one of the things that he touched upon was this new wave of in-app purchases that's been implemented in angry beds too now rovio posted nine percent fall in revenue last year so it's easy to jump to the conclusion that this new wave of aggressive in-app purchases is rovia's attempt to claw back some funds from its players
but when we asked that question to oscar he said that it's actually got more to do with the fact that rodeo is trying to bring angry birds into 2015 and in 2015 players are more willing to fork out cash in free-to-play when the original angry birds was launched back in 2009 it was launched on a very young app store where monetization mechanics were still being sculpted fast forward a few years and the angry birds too that we've got now has been modernized with brand new game play a really slick visual style a brand new multiplayer mode but part of this modernization process is adding in gems that you can purchase the power-ups and this energy mechanic now while critics have already piped up to poo poo this oscar berman told us that the market has changed quite a bit since the first angry birds game all rovio games have been free to play it's not a new thing and this game looks different to the other ones he says that our users like this implementation in soft launch but since we had such a massive audience there's always going to be people who don't think it's the game for them he then basically said
if you don't like it lumpits saying that we're going to keep supporting angry bird classics for years to come so if you prefer the other games you can go back to them now bourbon says that 90 of angry birds players never actually spent a penny on the game he also says that people who denigrate free to play tend to cite examples of free to play done badly rather than also taking a balanced view at the games that have done free to play well that he says it's a problem with the games industry as a whole as professionals while your everyday average casual player just quietly gets along with the free to play mechanic which they actually quite enjoy whatever the case we'll be following angry birds progress really closely over the next few months so keep an eye on pocketgamer.biz and this channel for more information and in the meantime if you've played angry birds too let us know in the comment section below what you think and critically whether you like these new in-app purchases or not that's it from us for now but we'll see you tomorrow
Summary
The launch of Angry Birds 2 marks a significant evolution for the franchise, transitioning from the monetization models of 2009 to the contemporary free-to-play standards of 2015. While the sequel has received positive critical reception for its updated visuals, gameplay, and new multiplayer modes, it has also faced backlash regarding its aggressive implementation of in-app purchases. Specifically, the introduction of an energy mechanic that limits progression unless players purchase extra lives has drawn criticism from segments of the user base.
Rovio management frames these changes as a necessary modernization rather than a reactionary measure to the company’s nine percent revenue decline in the previous year. By aligning the game with current market expectations, the developer aims to capitalize on a player base that is now more accustomed to microtransactions than during the early years of the App Store. Internal data suggests that these mechanics were well-received during the game’s soft launch phase, indicating that the negative feedback represents a vocal minority rather than a universal sentiment among the massive global audience.
The developer maintains that the free-to-play model is often unfairly maligned due to poor implementations in other titles, while the average casual player generally accepts and enjoys these systems. Statistics provided by the company highlight that 90 percent of players historically never spent money on the original Angry Birds, suggesting that the new monetization strategy is designed to balance accessibility with revenue generation. For those dissatisfied with the new direction, the company continues to support its classic titles, effectively segmenting the audience between those who prefer traditional experiences and those who engage with modern, service-based mobile gaming.
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