After launching on virtually every mobile and desktop platform on the planet, Angry Birds is taking on the final frontier. Angry Birds Space, as it’s being called, is the new title that Rovio hopes can follow up on the franchise’s out-of-this-world success – success that has accumulated over 700 million app downloads, a plush toy series, and branded candies. While the official site offers no information beyond a cryptic video and a March 22nd release date, Yahoo! Games and the official Rovio blog both have more information on how Space will differ from previous Angry Birds offerings. That March 22 release date is a big deal for Rovio: they plan to release Angry Birds Space simultaneously on mobile, animation, retail, and publishing, in a consolidated launch they say is a first for any mobile game.
Despite there being several new elements of gameplay involving planets with zero gravity, slow motion puzzles, and some completely new birds (with new powers, of course), Rovio promises that the traditional Angry Birds physics and formula won’t be abandoned. Andrew Stalbow, GM of Rovio North America, told Yahoo! that NASA and National Geographic are already signed on as launch partners for the new game, and that Rovio plans to announce more partnerships – and gameplay details – closer to the game’s launch. Rovio is certainly aiming for the stars here – the only question remaining is how quickly it’ll hit them.