Angry Birds’ most recent big-name affiliation is sure to ruffle some feathers.
Angry Birds creator Rovio Entertainment announced today their new partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) and the introduction of a new mascot, NHL HockeyBird. According to a post on Rovio’s official site, the aptly named bird will serve as a “true symbol of the energy, intensity and joy of the game.”
As part of the 2014 NHL Stadium Series Tour, NHL HockeyBird will be making appearances in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Vancouver. In addition to the mascot himself, Rovio will also be debuting two interactive crowd stadium games – Slingshot and Snapshot. The games will use “state-of-the-art voice activated technology” and be displayed on the stadium’s big screens.
“NHL HockeyBird performs based on the cheering and applause of the fans,” Rovio’s announcement reads. “The more noise you make, the more power he gathers. The more power he gathers, the better he performs!”
Not enough excitement for you? Rovio and the NHL will also be releasing a line of officially licensed NHL HockeyBird merchandise. Start saving!
Believe it or not, this isn’t the first Hockey-playing mascot to come from the Angry Birds franchise. HockeyBird was originally the mascot for the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. No word on whether these are in fact the same puck-dribbling birds.
