You don't get to 500 million downloads, without killing a few pigs

It hit me the other day like a bird hitting a wooden structure... "An app has soft plush toy's".


I could not believe that which had started as a relatively simple smart phone app had produced merchandise ranging from t-shirts to cups to plans for TV show's and a movie !
The app that became a movie... I never thought I would see the day.

Now don't get me wrong, Angry Birds deserves it's massive sprawling success but surely this IS the first app to get achieve such lofty heights? correct me if I'm wrong.


Following on from last weeks piece that mentioned "Angry Birds" I decided to investigate a little further into the absolute phenomenon that the game has become.  


Unfortunately/fortunately this meant helping sow the seeds of what is now a full blown addiction to the game. I know im not the first. Truth be told  I avoided playing the game properly for years. Now every spare second I have is spent launching those tiny winged kamikaze soldiers toward an uncertain fate. The game can no doubt be incredibly frustrating but has that game play x-factor know as " just one more go-ism". I cannot count the amount of times I have said that to myself as the "replay level" icon gets mashed by an impatient finger.


Developed by Finnish developer Rovio mobile and conceptualised from a single undeveloped screenshot of the legless birds, the game that has been purchased over 12 million times in Apples app store alone has branched out from smartphones to other devices such as appearing in Google chrome's app store and Sony's PSP.  


 (Amazing fact: Angry birds is the third most ported game behind Tetris and Pacman! Not bad for a game only 3 years old) 

With expansion packs and sequels such as "seasons" and "Rio" ( a blockbuster movie tie-in no less) Rovio gave fans more hours of catapult based destruction. One such fan being our current Prime minister. Although as with all of Mr Cameron's entertainment choices I am a little suspect that they are his own there is no doubting the mainstream appeal of the game. 


So launch high and true my feathered friends, further success awaits you!
... and chill out a bit..... you made it.