Rovio to lay off 260 as restructuring efforts begin

Days after Angry Birds creator Rovio revealed the next stage of its global expansion plan with the appointment of Anurag Sachdeva as country director for India and South Asia, the firm has announced it will make 260 job cuts. 

According to the company, the redundancies are an essential part of its restructuring effort, which will see the business concentrate on three primary areas: games, media, and consumer products. Those working on The Angry Birds Movie are the only ones safe from the cuts. 

"While we have gathered good momentum this year, especially with the launch of the Angry Birds 2 game, fundamental changes are needed to ensure Rovio succeeds in its global ambitions," said Rovio CEO Pekka Rantala. 

"This is personally a difficult decision. However, it is certain that a leaner and more agile Rovio is absolutely necessary to move forward and take the company to new successes in the future. We will work with and support all our employees through this period of change."

What goes up must come down, and, after becoming one of the biggest players in the mobile market, it seems Rovio is starting to collapse in on itself, with Rantala explaining the firm has been guilty of overreaching in recent years. 

"Rovio’s growth and eagerness to explore new business opportunities over the past few years has been exceptional," Rantala added.

"As a result, we did too many things. In our current financial condition we must now put focus on where we are at our best: in creating magnificent gaming experiences, in producing an amazing animation movie and in delighting our fans with great products.”