Rovio Entertainment, the Finnish group behind the Angry Birds mobile game franchise, is partnering with Chinese company Guogou Group to open nine Angry Birds attractions in China by 2018.
Rovio said in a statement it had entered into deal with Guogou to build and operate the attractions, and the first would open in the province of Anhui over the course of the next four years. Financial details weren't disclosed.
"China is an extremely important market for us, and we’re constantly looking for ways to provide innovative fan experiences by bridging the digital with the physical," said Pekka Rantala, chief commercial officer of Rovio.
"Through this partnership, we not only achieve that, but we set a strong foot in one of the worlds fastest growing theme park markets with a key player in the industry," Rantala added. "We are delighted at the prospect of bringing Angry Birds closer to our fans in China, in spaces where all members of the family can engage."
Yuan Qihong, chairman of Guogou, said: "We are proud of being in a partnership that will drive the entertainment park industry in China with a customer experience not seen before by extending the popular Angry Birds brand from online to offline interactive experiences."
The strategic partnership marks the first agreement of its kind for Rovio in the Asian market, with the attractions projected to collectively cover a total building area of tens of thousands of square feet.