Rovio is closing its Copenhagen studio after Sonic Blitz failed to retain players

Rovio is shutting down its Copenhagen studio following the cancellation of Sonic Blitz, the mobile Sonic game that never progressed beyond soft launch. Around 20 employees worked on the project, although the Sega-owned developer has not confirmed how many people will ultimately lose their jobs.

Sonic Blitz was taken offline on August 24 after Rovio ended development earlier in the month. Rovio CEO and Sega West COO Alexandre Pelletier-Normand has confirmed that player retention did not reach the level needed to continue with the game.

Sonic Blitz combined Sonic's running gameplay with collectible cards and tactical team battles. It entered soft launch in Brazil and the Philippines in 2025, giving Rovio time to test the game before deciding whether to release it more widely.

The project struggled with long-term player engagement, which is one of the main measurements developers watch during mobile soft launches. Pelletier-Normand said the concept showed promise but did not keep enough players returning over time.

Rovio removed the soft-launch version from stores in February 2026 while development continued. The project was later cancelled, and players who still had it installed lost access when the servers closed on August 24.

The cancellation is now being followed by the closure of Rovio Copenhagen. The company said it will discontinue its operations in Denmark once the ongoing redundancy process is complete.

Rovio has not announced a final number of job losses. Some employees may be moved to other projects, while those who cannot be reassigned will receive transition support.

The company said the closure was not a reflection of the Copenhagen team's work. Instead, Rovio is concentrating resources on fewer projects and locations.

Sega acquired Angry Birds developer Rovio in 2023 for €706 million as part of a wider push into mobile games. Since then, Sega has acknowledged that Rovio's financial performance has fallen below expectations.

In February 2026, Sega Sammy recorded about ¥31.3 billion in impairment losses related to Rovio. Its later management plan called for tighter cost control and a stronger focus on games based on Angry Birds and Sonic.

Sega has not abandoned Sonic on mobile. Pelletier-Normand said the company still believes the franchise can reach a larger mobile audience, but Sonic Blitz will not be the game that takes it there.