Rovio closes Copenhagen studio following shut down of Sonic Blitz

GamesIndustry.biz reports Rovio has shut down its Copenhagen studio following the cancellation of Sonic Blitz, a mobile title that soft-launched in the Philippines and Brazil in 2025 before being pulled last month. Around 20 employees were working on the game, though the exact redundancy count is still being finalized.

For developers, the key takeaway is that this is not just a project cancellation but a studio-level contraction. Rovio says affected staff may be moved to other projects where possible, and those who cannot be reassigned will receive transition support, outplacement services, and wellbeing assistance.

Rovio CEO and Sega West COO Alexandre Pelletier-Normand said the company needs to focus its bets both on what it makes and where it makes it. He also said Sonic Blitz looked promising on paper, but retention did not hold up well enough to justify continuing.

The closure lands in the shadow of Sega’s $776 million Rovio acquisition in 2023 and a reported $200 million impairment earlier this year after profitability fell short of forecast. Sega has also said Rovio’s Beacon tech has been harder to integrate with its own mobile pipeline, underscoring how live-ops, marketing, and retention can make or break a mobile strategy even when the brand is strong.