Angry Birds the next big cartoon character in China?

In my recent trips to China, I’ve spotted various instances of Angry Birds merch and kids from all over playing the game on their PCs. According to their CEO, they’ve been downloaded (through official channels) 50 million times in China already. It seems that the phenomenon has not gone unnoticed at the head office. From TNW:

Angry Birds are officially going to roost in China after Rovio opened an office in Shanghai, which becomes its first ever international base.

…

Just last month the company took the unusual step of teaming up with an unofficial Angry Birds theme park which had opened in China, while all manner of fake items have sprouted up across the country – like this 7 inch tablet on Geek.com – demonstrating the huge appeal and potential profits that the company could make in China.

Don’t sue the pirates; work with them. Love it.

(Photo from CNNGo by Ye Xiumei.)