As if the hit mobile game "Angry Birds" hasn't already consumed too much of your virtual time, Rovio (the company that created this golden-egg-laying game app) has plans for it to consume lots of your real-world time as well.
At the ReadWriteWeb 2WAY Summit taking place in New York today, Rovio has taken the wraps off its forthcoming "Angry Birds: Magic Places" feature.
The "Magic Places" feature — which will be added to all versions of the "Angry Birds" game — will make it so when you visit specially designated real-world locations, the game will unlock certain additional features. For example, if your phone's GPS detects that you are in a "magic" place, it will unlock the Mighty Eagle (the game's all-powerful pig-destroying bird).
"We want the physical world to add to the experience of 'Angry Birds,' " Ramine Darabiha, product manager for Angry Birds Magic, explained to GigaOm.
GigaOm has posted a thorough interview with Darabiha and Peter Vesterbacka, Rovio’s Mighty Eagle, explaining the ins and outs of "Magic Places." Check it out:
Meanwhile, "Magic Places" is just part of Rovio's larger push into location-based gaming. The "Magic Places" announcement follows a previous announcement from Rovio that "Angry Birds" — when played on certain Nokia phones — would make use of those phones' Near Field Communication (NFC) abilities.
That feature allows, for example, the owners of two NFC phones to tap their phones together and in doing so unlock game content such as additional unique levels. NFC phone owners will also be able to tap NFC tags placed on "Angry Birds" products to unlock that content.
Confused? Check out Rovio's birdy explanation right here:
(Thanks to ReadWriteWeb for the heads up.)
For more game news, check out:
- Google de-feathers infected 'Angry Birds' apps
- Bethesda is latest game company hit by hackers
- Two women going to prison for game developer's death
- Martial artist shows off real life motion control gaming
Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things right here on Twitter.
