The company behind "Angry Birds" said Wednesday it would open its first
theme park in Asia next year at a site near Shanghai as it builds on the
brand of the hugely popular game.
"Angry Birds Land" will be located
in Haining city in China's Zhejiang province, next to the commercial hub
of Shanghai, and will be the firm's third theme park after one in
Finland and another in Britain.
"People in China want to get out
and spend their free time at a leisure destination," Rovio
Entertainment's general manager for China, Paul Chen, told AFP.
"We're
hoping to open (the theme park) by Chinese New Year next year,
February," he added as the Finnish company launched a playground on the
campus of Shanghai's Tongji University.
The first China theme
park, featuring an interactive playground and rides, would welcome up to
400 visitors a day paying admission of 60 yuan ($9.50).
China has the world's second-highest number of downloads for Angry Birds at 190 million, trailing only the United States.
The
mobile game involves using slingshots to launch birds at fortresses
built by green pigs an addictive challenge that became the world's
most-downloaded app and spawned a franchise of merchandise and media
tie-ins.