angry_birds_hot_air_balloon_reuters.jpg

At Nasscom Game Developer Conference 2014 (NGDC 2014) on Saturday, Rovio India Director Antti Ohrling announced that the company is "open to opportunities to license and use Angry Birds assets locally."
What this means is that developers in the country looking to utilise the Angry Birds IP in their games, can do so with Rovio's approval. This makes India the second market where Rovio is doing this, the first being China.

"The assets we're talking about are something that can be integrated. Now would you be interested in a cricket game? The season is coming and who knows how many cricket games are coming up. You might do this. But I ask you a question, would you rather do it with us?", Ohrling said at a session on game discovery, monetisation and distribution at NGDC in Pune, stating the company's intentions to see a cricket game with Angry Birds characters.

Given cricket's religion-like status in the country, it's a smart move from a company that's been hit by hard times recently, with lay-offs and a change in leadership. While cricket games are dime-a-dozen (and even more so during the World Cup which is a few months away), any developer with a cricket game sporting well-loved characters would be a surefire differentiator and potential money-spinner.

NDTV Gadgets spoke to Ohrling at length on all things Rovio. Stay tuned for the full interview early next week.