Angry Birds, one of the most popular mobile games of all time, is undergoing some changes. The classic version of the game is being delisted from the Google Play store but will continue to be available on the App Store, with a new name.

First released in 2009, Angry Birds has become a global phenomenon, with over four billion downloads worldwide. The game’s simple premise, in which players launch birds at structures to defeat pigs, has captivated audiences for over a decade.

However, with the rise of new mobile games and changing consumer preferences, Rovio Entertainment, the developers of Angry Birds, have decided to delist the classic version of the game from the Google Play store. This means that the game will no longer be available for download on Android devices.

The move is not entirely unexpected, as Rovio has shifted its focus to newer games in recent years with a freemium model where the game is free to play but the company earns a lot of money through microtransactions. Currently, the game is available under the name Rovio Classics: AB on Indian Play Store for Rs 95. The company has released several free spinoffs of Angry Birds, including Angry Birds Star Wars and Angry Birds Rio, as well as a sequel to the original game, Angry Birds 2.

While the classic version of the game will no longer be available on Google Play, it will continue to be available on the Apple App Store, where it will be renamed as « Red’s First Flight. » 

In a statement on Twitter, Rovio Entertainment said, « We have reviewed the business case of Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, and due to the game’s impact on our wider games portfolio, we have decided that Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will be unlisted from the Google Play Store on Thursday, February 23. Additionally, the game will be renamed to Red’s First Flight in the App Store pending further review. Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will remain playable on devices on which the game has been downloaded, even after it has been unlisted.”

“We understand that this is sad news for many fans, as well as the team that has worked hard to make Rovio Classics: Angry Birds a reality. We are extremely grateful to the Angry Birds fans who have shown their love of the brand and this game from the beginning. We hope those fans can continue to bring that passion to our live Angry Birds slingshot games such as Angry Birds 2, Angry Birds Friends, and Angry Birds Journey, where our goal every day is to craft the best possible experience for players, » the statement added.

The delisting of Angry Birds from Google Play is part of a broader trend in the mobile gaming industry, as developers focus on newer games and retire older ones, but more so the economic aspects of the lucrative free-to-play games with microtransactions.

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