Angry Birds merchandising, licensing made up 30% of Rovio's 2011 revenue

Angry Birds creator Rovio Entertainment says it is "very optimistic" about its financial outlook for 2012, having today reported strong revenue and profits for the 2011 fiscal year. Mikael Hed, Rovio CEO, put the notable results down to the popularity of the Angry Birds brand, although he noted that the company needs to "stay focused on entertaining our millions of fans by continuously developing new and innovative products and services" if it wishes to continue this success. Hed commented that by the end of the last fiscal year, the Angry Birds franchise had seen over 648 million downloads across all versions and platforms, and more than 200 million active monthly users. During the 2011 fiscal year, Rovio recorded total revenues of 75.4 million euros ($106.3 million) and earnings before tax of 48.0 million euros ($67.6 million). The company's employee count grew from 28 to 224 staffers. Hed said that its consumer products business, which includes its merchandising and licensing outfits, generated revenues that represent 30 percent of the total revenue, thanks to Rovio's links with over 200 licensing partners. "The heavy investments made in 2011 to all business areas will be seen in future products," said Hed.