Angry Birds is making its way back to mainland China
- A fresh partnership will see Kingsoft Shiyou handle distribution
- Beyond that, it will come preloaded on the Xiaomi Pro and Pro Max models
The term 'anglocentric' comes up frequently. It refers to an excessive focus on English-speaking markets. While we strive for a global perspective, it's true that assumptions sometimes creep in, even within mobile gaming. Angry Birds, one of the genre's biggest successes, is only now returning to China!
Yes, you read that correctly. Until recently, Chinese mobile gamers missed out on their regular fix of pig-smashing and structure-destroying action. Fortunately, a new agreement between Rovio, Xiaomi, and Kingsoft Shiyou means Angry Birds will once again be available to players in the region.
The deal also brings significant benefits for Rovio. The game will come pre-installed on the Xiaomi 17 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max smartphones. This ensures that more users than ever before can access it immediately upon unboxing their new devices.
Flying south for the winter
It might be tempting to dismiss this as mere business news. However, Angry Birds' return to mainland China is a major win for players, especially given its status as a 'standard' app on the latest generation of phones.
Since being acquired by Sega, Rovio appears to have regained momentum. This resurgence is evident in new Sonic-themed releases, occasional experiments within the Angry Birds franchise, and the third installment of their successful movie series. This move marks the next step in bringing Angry Birds back into the public spotlight.
Speaking of China's increasingly prestigious mobile industry, why not explore some of our recent reviews of homegrown devices? The Honor Magic V5 receives a strong recommendation from us as Catherine dives deep into all the features this new handset offers.
