Rovio launches store for Angry Birds merchandise on Chinese online retail portal Tmall

Rovio chief executive Mikael Hed might have claimed he's happy to turn a blind eye to unofficial Angry Birds merchandise if it serves the brand, but that doesn't mean the studio isn't cashing in itself.

The firm's latest venture is designed to take advantage of the franchise's growing base in China.

It's claimed series wide downloads in the region have topped 100 million (equal to around 17 percent of the franchise's total), making the launch of a dedicated Angry Birds store on Tmall – a Chinese retail platform – a no brainer.

Brand battles

As reported by the Tianjin Web – and translated by Penn-Olsen.com – the game's Tmall space is currently selling branded mobile phone cases, cushions and cakes, with prices starting from Chinese Yuan 9.80 (around 98p/$1.55) per item.

The store went live at the start of February, and follows a number of moves in the merchandise field by the Finnish studio.

Back in September, figures released by the firm was making as much as $10 million a month from the sale of Angry Birds merchandise, such as plush toys and t-shirts.

Such efforts are largely motivated by a desire to increase the potency of the brand: Rovio has long claimed it believes Angry Birds has the potential to be a heavyweight franchise, able to call on the same level of support as the likes of Disney.

[source: Penn-Olsen.com]