Angry-Birds.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Rovio, maker of the popular mobile game "Angry Birds," is planning to build nine theme parks in China over the next four years, according to a Venture Beat report.
The Finnish company said that it will build the first of what it calls "family entertainment centers" in China in Anhui Province.
"China is an extremely important market for us, and we're constantly looking for ways to provide innovative fan experiences by bridging the digital with the physical," said Pekka Rantala, chief commercial officer of Rovio Entertainment.
"Through this partnership, we not only achieve that, but we set a strong foot in one of the world's fastest growing theme parks markets with a key player in the industry," the official said.
"We are delighted at the prospect of bringing Angry Birds closer to our fans in China, in spaces where all members of the family can engage," Rantala continued.
The announcement of Rovio's plan comes not long after the company made known its intention to lay off 130 of its employees in Finland in an effort to "simplify" the company.
The company's flagship game "Angry Birds" is suffering from a decline in popularity, with the number of active players dropping to 200 million as of September from 263 million by the end of 2012.
The planned nine theme parks in China, which will all be completed by 2018, will cover a total expanse of "tens of thousands" of square meters.
Rovio is teaming up with the Guoguo business group, one of the top 150 private companies in China, to build the attractions.
