Expanding its franchise beyond the mobile market, Angry Birds maker Rovio brought a giant real-life version of its game to the Formula One racetrack in Singapore last weekend.
Singapore Telecommunications and Finnish startup Uplause teamed up to create a jumboscreen version of the popular game that reacts to a stadium crowd's noise level.
The louder fans cheered, the farther they pulled back a digital slingshot to fire disgruntled birds at evil green pigs on the screen.
"We think this new form of gaming will give fans a great opportunity to form a strong emotional connection with the characters," said Peter Vesterbacka of Rovio.
Angry Birds' debut on the big screen is its first but won't be its last, as the company has plans for a movie deal. It also plans to bring its new big-screen game to other sporting events and concerts around the world as it builds the mobile game into a full-fledged entertainment brand.
In addition, Rovio is capitalizing on its popular game by selling plush toys, cookbooks, games, T-shirts and signing a deal with Starbucks to promote the game in its retail locations.
Window of the World theme park in Changsha, China, also aims to bring the audience more into the gaming experience with a chance to slingshot soft toy birds at green pig balloons, although Rovio does not officially sanction this attraction.
Rovio's latest move into the spotlight, in the form of a jumboscreen game, suggests the $1.2 billion company's meteoric rise won't stop anytime soon as avenues for the characters continue to expand.
