Deeper Cuts at Angry Birds Studio as 260 Staff Face Redundancy

Angry Birds developer Rovio has announced it will lay off as many as 260 employees as part of wider plans to "restructure and concentrate its activities."

Pekka Rantala, chief executive of the mobile game company, admitted in a statement that it may have done "too many things," and must now focus its business ventures. The redundancies follow a previous downsizing operation, back in late 2014, where about 110 staff were let go.

"Rovio's growth and eagerness to explore new business opportunities over the past few years has been exceptional," he said. "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."

Rantala added that a "leaner more agile" Rovio is necessary to move the company forward.

"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 to be the leading entertainment company with mobile games at its heart," he said.

"This personally is 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."

In October 2014, Rovio's financial report showed that annual profits had sunk by about 50 percent. Mikael Hed, who was CEO at the time, announced he would be stepping down from his role.

Having launched Angry Birds 2, Rovio's big upcoming projects include an animated Angry Birds feature film, which is expected for release in July 2016.