De La Soul has a brand new album—the group’s first in 11 years—dropping August 26. But one song that won’t be found on And the Anonymous Nobody is “Action,” which will be available exclusively in Angry Birds Action! and was composed especially for the pinball puzzle game.
The new track is part of The Big Pig Update, which unlocks 90 new levels as well as the Piggy Island area that was originally exclusive available to movie theater patrons who went to see The Angry Birds Movie. The update also brings a one-week event hosted by the hip-hop pioneers in their birdified form, granting all players unlimited energy as a special power. “Action” marks the first time De La Soul has created music specifically for a game.
Miika Tams, vice president of games at Rovio, explains why artists from Shakira to De La Soul are flocking to Angry Birds games in this exclusive interview with [a]listdaily.
How did this De La Soul opportunity come up?
The team behind the Angry Birds Action! game have been big fans of De La Soul. We were looking for a partner to fit the style of the game, and De La Soul felt like a perfect option. We reached out to them, they loved the idea and this is where the partnership started.
What type of crossover do you see between De La Soul fans and your Angry Birds Action gamers?
Both brands have gained a big loyal fan base. Also, the style of our games and the style of De La Soul’s music are a natural fit. There is the same energy and the same tongue-in-cheek attitude that makes this cooperation feel like a very natural fit.
What have you learned from music collaborations with artists like Shakira?
We find that many artists are very interested in an alternative means of distribution and promotion, and there are all kinds of possibilities within the framework of a mobile game. We try to do music collaborations that make sense for our fans and the fans of the artists, and enrich the experiences of both.
How will De La Soul be cross-promoting your game with their new album debut?
The “Action” track has been written exclusively for Angry Birds Action! and its fans. The track is not going to be featured in De La Soul’s new album, And the Anonymous Nobody
How will you be promoting their new song, “Action”?
De La Soul’s new “Action” track can be listened to in the Angry Birds Action! game and through our active channels too—Rovio’s blog and rovio.com.
What does this and the Shakira partnership open up in terms of your games as a viable platform to debut music?
We have done partnerships before De La Soul and Shakira, for example with Apocalyptica and Slash, etc. We tend to proceed on a case-by-case basis, doing things that make natural sense for fans. But game music has come a long way, especially in the mobile era when people use the same device for listening to music as for playing games. Games and music crossovers will probably become more common as long as that is the case.
What role does music play in your games?
Music plays a big role in Rovio games, and can help bring emotional depth to the story world. We have an amazing audio team who is composing fantastic music for our games. For example, Nibblers just won the Best Game Music award at the 2016 Game Music Awards.
What’s can fans look forward to in the first Angry Birds Action! update?
The Big Pig Update adds 90 completely new levels and unlocks Piggy Island for all players. Previously, the Piggy Island area in the game could only be unlocked by going to see The Angry Birds Movie in theaters. The update also brings a one-week event hosted by hip-hop pioneers De La Soul in their “birdified” form, granting all players unlimited energy as a special power.
How have you seen the success of The Angry Birds Movie impact Action! and the other Angry Birds games?
The Angry Birds Movie reached No. 1 at the box office in 52 countries and we are very happy about that. We’ve seen a very positive impact on our games, too. The Angry Birds brand is now even stronger.
How does having all of The Angry Birds and Movie licensed products help the brand connect with mainstream consumers?
Consumers love collecting the plush toys, for example, and we are also very strong in a variety of toy and clothing categories for kids. The aim of our licensing program is always to strengthen the brand with high quality products and great storytelling. Partnerships with world-class companies like Lego and H&M are part of our strategy to develop Angry Birds as an evergreen brand that can help sustain all our businesses, from games to animation.
