'Angry Birds Stella' Release Date Here, Coming To Alibaba's Mobile Apps

The latest installment of Rovio Entertainment Ltd.'s addictive app “Angry Birds” is coming to Chinese e-commerce conglomeration Alibaba. The privately owned Hangzhou-based group is offering more games through its available mobile apps.

“Angry Birds Stella” becomes available on three different Alibaba apps: the Mobile Taobao online retail app; the Laiwang messaging app; and the Alipay Wallet app, an application used to make mobile payments more convenient.

Alibaba plans to make “Angry Birds Stella” playable across all of its mobile platforms, not just the apps it directly runs.

This move could benefit Espoo, Finland-based developer Rovio, founded in 2003 and began making millions in revenue after the 2009 launch of the original “Angry Birds.” However, interest in the popular game series has faded during the past year, and Rovio's net profits fell 50 percent in 2013. The decision to launch the title on Alibaba's small but steadily growing mobile distribution business will be beneficial to both companies, since having a well-known game like "Angry Birds Stella" will most likely benefit the Chinese company financially by giving consumers access to a franchise they're already familiar with.

“Angry Birds” was Rovio’s 52^nd game. Since the success of the puzzle game, Rovio has produced a number of spinoffs, including “Angry Birds Star Wars,” “Angry Birds Seasons,” “Bad Piggies,” “Angry Birds Go!,” “Angry Birds Star Wars II” and “Angry Birds Space.”

“Angry Birds Stella” is being marketed toward females and features adorable character Stella, a pink bird with blue eyes and long eyelashes. The game was announced on Feb. 13 this year and will be accompanied by a toy line and a cartoon series. Stella’s game also features characters Poppy, Luca, Willow, Gale and Dahlia, who all possess various in-game abilities.

Rovio’s next title will be “Angry Birds Transformers.”