Angry Birds celebrated its fifteenth anniversary this year with much fanfare, but until now, we haven't had a detailed look behind the scenes. I reached out to Ben Mattes, the Creative Officer at Rovio, to share his insights on the iconic series. Launched fifteen years ago, Angry Birds became a phenomenon that few could have predicted. From its success on iOS and Android platforms to merchandise, movies, and its significant role in Rovio's acquisition by Sega, the series has left a lasting impact. These irate birds have not only made Rovio a household name but have also elevated Finland's status in the mobile gaming world, alongside developers like Supercell.
Ben Mattes, who has been with Rovio for almost five years, has dedicated his time to ensuring that the Angry Birds IP remains coherent and respectful of its characters, lore, and history. As the Creative Officer, his focus is on steering the franchise toward a vision for the next fifteen years.
Reflecting on the creative approach to Angry Birds, Mattes emphasizes its accessibility and depth. The series is known for its colorful, cute aesthetic, yet it also addresses serious themes like inclusion and gender diversity. It appeals to a wide audience, from children enjoying the cartoons to adults appreciating the challenge of mastering the slingshot. This broad appeal has led to memorable partnerships and projects, with the ongoing challenge being to innovate while staying true to the IP's core.
Joining a franchise as pivotal as Angry Birds was undoubtedly intimidating for Mattes. The Angry Birds mascot, Red, is considered the face of mobile gaming, akin to Mario for Nintendo. The responsibility to create new experiences that resonate with both longtime fans and new audiences is immense, especially given the immediate feedback loop from the community across various platforms.
Looking ahead, Mattes sees a bright future for Angry Birds, especially with Sega's understanding of transmedia success. The upcoming Angry Birds Movie 3 is a key focus, promising a powerful, hilarious, and heartfelt story that will deepen the connection with fans through games, merchandise, and community engagement.
The success of Angry Birds, according to Mattes, lies in its ability to mean different things to different people. From being someone's first video game to inspiring a collection of plush toys, the series has touched millions of lives in diverse ways. This broad appeal and the "something for everyone" approach have been central to its enduring success.
To the fans who have stuck with Angry Birds over the years, Mattes expresses deep gratitude. Their passion and creativity have shaped the franchise, and as Rovio expands the Angry Birds universe, they remain committed to listening to and engaging with their community.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your role at Rovio over the years?
My name is Ben Mattes. I've been working professionally in game development for almost 24 years, including stints at Gameloft, Ubisoft, and WB Games Montreal. I've been at Rovio for almost 5 years now, and while I've done various jobs, they've all revolved around Angry Birds. For a little over a year now, I've been focusing exclusively on Angry Birds as the 'Creative Officer' to ensure that everything we do with the IP moving forward is coherent, respects our characters, lore, and history, and that we use all products in our portfolio to work towards our vision for the next 15 years.
Looking back, even before your time at Rovio, what do you think the creative approach has been to Angry Birds? Angry Birds has always been accessible yet deep. It's colorful and cute but also tackles serious issues like inclusion and gender diversity. It appeals to kids with its cartoons and to their parents or grandparents who appreciate the challenge of the slingshot or the chaos in Dream Blast. This wide range of themes has always been central to the Angry Birds creative strategy, leading to memorable partnerships and projects. Our challenge is to celebrate and stay true to this while also finding and executing new game experiences and stories that reflect the eternal conflict between the Angry Birds and the Pigs.
Did you feel at all intimidated coming on to work on a franchise that, even at the time, was so important for mobile gaming? It's not just mobile gaming but all entertainment! To many, Red, the mascot of Angry Birds, is 'the face of mobile gaming,' like Mario for Nintendo. Everyone at Rovio understands the responsibility to create new experiences that resonate with fans who grew up with Angry Birds and attract new players. This is challenging, especially with the immediate feedback from our community across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Where do you think Angry Birds will go in the future, as a game series and as a franchise?
Sega understands the value of a well-established IP in transmedia, and we're focused on growing Angry Birds' fandom across all touchpoints. We're excited about the upcoming Angry Birds Movie 3 and can't wait to invite a new audience into the world of Angry Birds. We aim to inspire with a powerful, hilarious, and heartfelt story, deepening engagement through games, merchandise, fan art, lore, and community. We've loved working with movie producer John Cohen and the creative team, who share our passion for the IP and are keen to introduce new characters, themes, and story arcs that align with our other projects.
What do you think is the reason that Angry Birds is so successful?
Angry Birds has meant many things to many people. As we celebrate 15 years and plan for the next 15, we've heard countless 'Angry Birds Stories' from players and developers. For some, it was their first video game; for others, it was a revelation of their phone's potential. Some cherish the depth and charm of Angry Birds Toons, while others proudly display their collections of plush toys. This breadth of engagement and the "something for everyone" approach has been at the heart of Angry Birds' success.
Do you have any messages for the fans of the series that have stuck with Angry Birds over the years?
I want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who have been with us on this incredible journey. Your passion, creativity, and engagement have truly shaped Angry Birds into what it is today. We’re constantly inspired by the fan art, the theories, the lore that you create. As we expand the Angry Birds universe with the upcoming movie, new titles, and other projects, we will keep listening to you. Whatever drew you to Angry Birds in the first place and kept you in the fandom, we've got something cooking for you.
