Rovio's First Year Under Sega: A Partnership of Growth and Opportunity

It has been over a year since Sega acquired Rovio in a deal worth €706 million, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Finnish-based game developer. As a subsidiary of Sega's Europe division, Rovio has spent the past 12 months integrating into the Japanese gaming giant and providing support in expanding its mobile capabilities. The partnership is set to bear fruit with the upcoming release of Sonic Rumble, a battle royale title slated for release this winter. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom, Timo Rahkonen reflected on the past year and the progress made by Rovio and Sega. He noted that the acquisition process was lengthy, allowing Rovio to gain a deeper understanding of Sega's operations, business scale, and intellectual property portfolio. This due diligence ultimately confirmed that the partnership was a good fit for both companies. Rahkonen highlighted the cultural differences between Rovio and Sega, with the former being a Finnish company and the latter being Japanese-owned. However, he emphasized that Sega's experience working with international studios has facilitated a smoother integration process. Rovio has had to adapt to Sega's processes and values, but the two companies have also learned from each other, with Rovio bringing its expertise in engineering and transparency to the table. Rovio operates with a significant degree of independence within Sega, with its own strategy and budget. The company collaborates with various Sega studios and games, reporting to the Tokyo headquarters. This direct relationship with Sega executives has enabled Rovio to accelerate decision-making and capitalize on opportunities. One of the key areas where Rovio has been supporting Sega is through its Beacon platform, which streamlines development and provides tools for publishing, updates, live operations, and user acquisition. Rahkonen believes that Beacon has the potential to be utilized across all of Sega's games in the future, with Sonic Rumble being a prime example of its integration. While Sonic is currently the primary focus area for Rovio, the company is also exploring opportunities to work on other Sega franchises, such as Persona and Yakuza. However, Rahkonen acknowledges that Rovio currently lacks the capabilities to tackle these projects, but is open to building or acquiring the necessary expertise in the future. Rovio has not abandoned its own franchises, including Angry Birds, and is working with Sega to develop a roadmap for the brand. The company is also investing in new free-to-play mobile games, which remain a core area of focus. With Sonic Rumble set to release this winter, Rovio is poised to make a significant impact in the gaming industry, and its partnership with Sega is expected to yield exciting results in the years to come. The collaboration between Rovio and Sega is still in its early stages, with Rahkonen emphasizing that the two companies have only scratched the surface of their potential. As the gaming industry continues to grow, Rovio and Sega are well-positioned to create innovative and engaging experiences for players around the world.