Last week's oddest announcement, Angry Birds Epic has now soft launched in Australia and Canada, giving players pretending to be in those countries a chance to find out just what the hell is going on. Let's take a look.
Angry Birds developer Rovio said they were teasing an epic new game, and they weren't kidding. Soft launching in Australia and Canada this week, Angry Birds Epic is an adventure role-playing game with turn-based combat and an extensive crafting system. I did not see this coming.
A new Dark Souls? The next chapter in The Elder Scrolls? No, it's just Angry Birds. Rovio is teasing another new Angry Birds title, soon to be soft-launched in Canada and Australia. Definitely getting an epic fantasy vibe, but which epic fantasy?
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7EyoM0tp--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19fkar9458j7tpng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KZU2uVKq--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19fkar9458j7tpng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FMkgBo9o--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19fkar9458j7tpng.png, (large)])
Following up on yesterday's tease, Rovio has revealed Stella, a new corner of the Angry Birds universe featuring "strong, passionate characters" ready to inspire and empower. Looks a bit Disney Princess, doesn't it?
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PmLnV3GB--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19fh6sqqbgd8ypng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ugxcKO9a--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19fh6sqqbgd8ypng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--X6rtbvkd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19fh6sqqbgd8ypng.png, (large)])
"Big adventure with new birds coming soon!" says Angry Birds maker Rovio, attaching this puzzling picture to its tweet. Can you figure out what sort of birds these mysterious silhouettes represent? Is it Angry Birds: Tim Burton?
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--D5wa3SeC--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19dz3vboedijjpng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0-_PemnH--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19dz3vboedijjpng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0vqawPdl--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19dz3vboedijjpng.png, (large)])
The maker of Angry Birds, one of the world's most popular video games of any type, today said it "does not share data, collaborate or collude with any government spy agencies." The statement follows a report yesterday that said American and British spies have harvested data collected by the game.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--TUeNOUUa--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/19dk2kyjsw3rfjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--GUAvKYVP--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/19dk2kyjsw3rfjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7A1ei2Zg--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/19dk2kyjsw3rfjpg.jpg, (large)])
While the rest of the Angry Birds spend their days desperately trying to recover their stolen young from their piggy adversaries, one has apparently decided he'd rather skip off to North America to play ice hockey. NHL HockeyBird is a bit of a dick.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--SUDLpkBX--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19ctrkl9u9w2wjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--g_1mM2-E--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19ctrkl9u9w2wjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--CuuSIHdx--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19ctrkl9u9w2wjpg.jpg, (large)])
It's easy to tune out just how much Angry Birds-branded merchandise there is floating out there in the world. Everywhere you look, there's some food/toy/clothing item festooned with the likeness of Rovio's super-ubiquitous characters on it. So, it's really surprising that there haven't been any Angry Birds comic books…
Angry Birds Go! launched worldwide today, several months after the game's scannable toy line hit stores. Since no one keeps instructions for that long, here's how Hasbro's plastic and Rovio's mobile go-kart game get along.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--W3y31dXk--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/197pdc2eagarljpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Hzz4bZm6--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/197pdc2eagarljpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--I7KiHtoT--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/197pdc2eagarljpg.jpg, (large)])
It's still a couple of weeks before the Angry Birds kart racing game hits mobile devices in North America, but it's on New Zealand's iTunes right now, and I've played it long enough to get very angry with it. Energy meters? Really?
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6PMCIkx4--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/197jqvg928mssjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--uD5wSf3W--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/197jqvg928mssjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7xtH60ev--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/197jqvg928mssjpg.jpg, (large)])
There's a new update for Angry Birds available today, transforming the Bomb Bird's explosions into highly-destructive electrical pulses. Your children will have questions about this update, and the accompanying trailer. We've got answers.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---Jvw_86e--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/193a58bkgijp0jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7cD-nKCL--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/193a58bkgijp0jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--HufBu_p0--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/193a58bkgijp0jpg.jpg, (large)])
Now that the toy tie-ins are on store shelves and we've got an official December 11 release date, we're finally getting a look Angry Birds Go! gameplay. Wow.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kOxvE_Zl--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/1915edtc085yujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--102S3Zw6--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/1915edtc085yujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6wU6JHSc--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/1915edtc085yujpg.jpg, (large)])
Our first official look at Angry Birds Go! comes not from a trailer or in-game screenshots, but from Hasbro's upcoming line of Telepods and Jenga toys based on the kart-based spin-off. Strange.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VGrRapHa--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/1903428d424tapng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Ts6ZV4m9--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/1903428d424tapng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--EFwUnPiT--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/1903428d424tapng.png, (large)])
In a single day, I became one the best Angry Birds Star Wars players in the world — 8th overall. Today, I'm either 2,718th or 1st. It's up to the hackers.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AZrLJ-rc--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18yehw4rlr4kgjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--GbfhfXNA--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18yehw4rlr4kgjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4RdzJ0Bz--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18yehw4rlr4kgjpg.jpg, (large)])
The next Angry Birds game is a kart racer. Huh. That'll quiet the folks who complain Rovio only releases the same sort of game over and over again, I guess. And they've hooked up with Red Bull, which explains all the Go-ing.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nKNgKrJn--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18ungrthkcm9gpng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--RrW21o67--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18ungrthkcm9gpng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--5V5xuXuk--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18ungrthkcm9gpng.png, (large)])
Announced last week, Angry Birds Star Wars II gives fans the ability to swap out the bird (or pig) line-up in their iPad or Android game using physical toys, but Hasbro's Telepods technology isn't Skylanders. It's much simpler than that.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0VhbUuf6--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18u8zuw4nfh3hjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--CVBTBLx_--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18u8zuw4nfh3hjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dLWfwGN8--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18u8zuw4nfh3hjpg.jpg, (large)])
Angry Birds vaulted to megahit success on smartphones. If you’ve been in a plane, train or automobile with more than two people, chances are one of them had it on their phone. But Activision’s started bringing Rovio’s successful franchise to home gaming machines last year with Angry Birds Trilogy. This year, they’re…
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UerLSaY6--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18tnqcxfdv834jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7e9-NEFD--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18tnqcxfdv834jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nv_qBVMk--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18tnqcxfdv834jpg.jpg, (large)])
There may be no cars to swipe, and at no point was this a dark project, but 5 Ants' Tiny Thief is as capable a criminal as they come, ready to steal the hearts of adventure fans everywhere while they pay for the privilege.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--xZI9Z2az--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/190k30xi34p4ujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--s_yXvzPJ--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/190k30xi34p4ujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--wPAezAs4--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/190k30xi34p4ujpg.jpg, (large)])
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--cbMCeIkf--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18xwp79949nnhjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--W7Zf3PC5--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18xwp79949nnhjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2Jf4C5sl--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18xwp79949nnhjpg.jpg, (large)])