Brand new intelligence report out of Finland!
Rovio has just posted a double-whammy of teaser info on their Facebook channel:
BEAKING NEWS: Red Bird will have a special power soon.
Well, that’s the first part of the “whammy”, and it’s pretty obvious. The more important second part is that, as the image suggests, the ninth episode of the original Angry Birds is coming soon!
Now, there’s some things to note and some things to ask:
- Foremost, no we don’t know when this update will land. It could be as early as this week, or as late as a few weeks from now. But it’s coming.
- Clearly, the episode’s sliver only has the star counter listed, but no score or feather counter. This is likely due to the beta version that Rovio has, and we probably shouldn’t think much of it. But since some people might mention it, I thought we should point out our powers of observation too. ;)
- Less clearly, here’s what I see when I zoom way in on the episode sliver. It looks to me Red is rushing towards his nest. If you squint you’ll also see Red in the background as well, but with some impressive speed blurs behind him. I’m guessing his power will be speed related. What exactly it will be, I haven’t the faintest idea. Maybe a tie-in with the recently announced Angry Birds Go?
- Our biggest question: Will the Red Bird’s new special power be episode-specific, or will it be retroactive to all 400+ levels of Angry Birds (ABo)? We can’t know for certain, but my guess is that it will be an episode-specific — or at least we hope so.
But hey, enough about what I think! What do you think?
And a special hat-tip to @josm for being the first to report it here!
More News
Update 26 June: Rovio announced today that the next episode of ABo will be called “Red’s Mighty Feathers” and will land in July! The 15-level episode will star the Red Bird himself — not clear whether his comrades will appear at any point to help out though. The announcement was made in Moscow’s Red Square, where Mighty Eagle Peter Vesterbacka spoke to local graduates on Sunday.
We have more info on this update in our new post, which you can check out here.
To me, the banana boat just looks like the Birds’ nest.
And might the speedy-looking Red Birds in the background of the game have something to do with his ability? The positions of them looks like Red is rebounding off the edges of the screen…
Interesting note on top of the mention that only the score counter is visible: the stars, feathers, and scores on the other visible levels are all 0.
Tend to agree. We’ve updated our speculation on what’s actually in the blurred image. Thanks @rizdub!
to me the yellow object is the nest with an egg in it
Yes , i think so too, you can see an white egg in the nest
since there’s no score count or feather count, maybe it’s a side story game type thing like GEs and road hogs(BPs), it might be an ‘all red bird’ level like TBS(besides the green bird coming in), maybe he gets temporary powers to save the eggs and other birds, like from the AB toon ‘off duty’
Very interesting theory! We shall see I guess.
@angryperson I am not sure about your theory. I doubt it, because it is placed before S&T, like new regular episode.
Hmmm, if Red bird gain a special power in this update so that will make Terrence is an only bird that doesn’t have any power because huge is not count as a power.
And the new Red bird’s ability in the background looks like a speed boost like the Yellow bird or something like that but it’s definately a speed related.
Also this episode is only have star counter but no feather or score counter makes this update even more intersting.
Anyway, I’m so excited for this update and can’t wait for it.
I can’t wait update, but to be honest I hope RB special powers would be only episode related. It would be sort of pain to play 400+ levels again just because it might be possible to squeeze some more points with “mighty” Red.
Or this could add some serious replayability to AB:O.
I’d Love if this were the case… A reason to go back and increase some scores.
@cosomo2503 I agree. It would be really hard to play all levels all over again!
Or maybe RB still have his power on later episodes,but not on previous episodes
Maybe red bird will be able to bounce and ricochet like the little red bouncy balls do.
we already have bouncy pads
Are we 100% sure it’s a new episode, or could it be a new mode, like the King Pig levels/games?
On Twitter, they said: “Yes, there’s a new episode coming for the original Angry Birds. Completely new gameplay.”
I think the red bird will have to save the flock with his speedy powers and then they will stay for all the other levels…. Red bird is my fav but it is true he kinda stinks he needs this power up so go RED BIRD!!!!!!!
I didn’t like the power-ups (and don’t use them) so I’m hoping that any “special ability” isn’t applied to previous levels. If it is, and it dramatically alters the scoring, that could make a big difference going forward.
A few things:
If they give him a power here, then will it eventually be implemented to Seasons, Rio, and possibly Space?
If it does apply to previous levels, will the walkthroughs be redone to accommodate that? Seems like a bit of a hassle, but you never know.
Maybe it’ll be like the Lazer Bird? All I can see that doing is making Chuck and Al obsolete.
We don’t even want to think for a second about #2. *shudders*
@amslimfordy, even if #2 is true, I don’t see any need to re-do the previous levels. The Walkthroughs are a guide to get 3 stars, not necessarily for high scores. (that’s what the comments are for). The only reason I could see for re-doing a level would be if the order/quanity of birds changes. If they do that, well, I don’t want to even think of that possibility.
@amslimfordy One would think that it’ll be an “activate by tapping” power, so that the walkthroughs work fine as long as you don’t activate the Red’s ability. However, if it were to start working right after you launched Red from the slingshot, they might need to be redone. I think that would be a good chance for all ABN members to create walkthroughs so that you admins don’t have to do all the work, if that were the case.
I so agree with @AMslimfordy on #2 don’t even want to think about it either. The Power Ups addition already did a number on the need for the video’s, but luckily the Nest is still Power Up free so I have accepted another part of the AB flingers don’t need them any more, but a big part still does. But to think a new power for Red bird is ALL previous levels… sigh… didn’t Rovio learn from the Power Up drama that changing the playing field in old levels will make all the hard work we all did turn into nothing? Not only for the ones who have put hundreds of hours in making and providing the videos, but also the hardcore flingers trying to be the best, spending hours and hours on one level.
So @Rovio … please don’t mess with the old… it makes this diehard AB fan more angry than the birds themselves! Don’t think I can take one more let down from my favorite game in the world!!
off topic: @amslimfordy What is Icebreakers? ”Icebreaker will be available to download this Thursday, June 20! #RovioStars #Icebreaker ” Is this an game from rovio?
See our Rovio Stars category for more information.
Thanks!
I have a feeling that Chuck’s headband has something to do with this.
Yeah, I’m wondering if this will get a Toons episode.
Or it looks like red has some red orbs around him, like mini red birds. And only one egg in the nest? Could this mean hatchlings?
Interesting observation. When I first saw those, I was reminded of the flying hearts from Hogs and Kisses. I know it’s not anywhere near Valentine’s Day, so I didn’t know what they were. Maybe that has something to do with the Flock of Birds powerup in ABSpace?
I thought so too, but then figured maybe you aim them at something while airborne.
I think this theory makes sense because the orbs form a “trail” to the egg which appears slightly cracked.
Well, if it is a retroactive power that can be used on previous levels, is that list of which birds are used on each level still here on the site somewhere? Would sure make it easier to go back and play the levels with a red bird early in the firing order first to bring things up to date.
I had always wanted a more powerful Red Bird and now my dream comes true :)
@ksfno1, I had the same dream (by “dream” I mean day dream)
That’s cool man. I always wondered why Red was so basic. But yeah, if that does happen, will it also apply to Seasons, Rio, Space and the free apps sans Lite and Rio Free??
I’m going with hatchlings twirling around him…would b pretty cool…and I for one wouldn’t mind if it was retroactive…more levels to replay!
Twitter: ‘Yes, there’s a new episode coming for the original Angry Birds. Completely new gameplay.’
‘Completely new gameplay’
Very interesting !! :D
They can introduce a new element in ABo like Portals in AB Seasons.
And I think Red Bird’s new special power will be only in this episode.
This new episode may be a sneak peak to Angry Birds Go!
That is the same analogy that came to mind, the adding of the portal to the new level of Seasons. They did not add them to all other levels. My speculation is that Red Bird will only have the new power for the new game play levels. Why? What business advantage would Rovio gain from updating all the previous levels of ABO with the altered RB as compared to adding a new, innovative and exciting level to draw new players and game fans. The cost and expenses of reprograming all the levels may not yield a measurable gain for time and effort spent.
Now the crystal ball prediction of what could be the new power: a stronger impact, adding a laser, something with a magnetic pull or a Power Up option for RB that would generate income from the new game. How about a beak that grows and becomes stronger to impact stone. Fun to dream.
I tried to unblur the image with FocusImage and… nothing happened…
YAY! I was already thinking that there wouldn’t be any new episode for ABO, but this is GREAT! It really seems that there are hatchlis around Red so maybe the special power is that when you click/tap the screen the hatchlings appear and cause more destruction than the Red would do on his own :D
Even when it’s great that Red gets a special power, I really hope that it will be only in this episode. If it would be in all episodes it would be a total mess up for the leaderboards for example the first levels of Poached Eggs where you can use only Red. Well okay, it could be interesting, but I don’t even want to think how much work it would cause to @admins O.O
Oh, forgot to say that the Red sprinting on the backround could be just an “advertisement” for the AB Go, not sure though, but somehow it seems a bit odd if Red would have the same (or almost the same) power than Chuck :D
You can see the background of a level
According to a tweet there will be completely new gameplay. Does that mean that this is what Angry Birds Go is? And also, this probably means his power will only be episode-specific.
The new update sounds exciting!,I think red’s new power will be episode specific and maybe all the birds will be trapped(Like in the AB toons episode) and red has to free them from the pigs like the big set up.
Good thinking! Maybe your are right! :)
Maybe the power the red bird will turn into a fireball and cause more destruction.
maybe the hatchling’s will actually hatch for once and they will help Red when the rest of the flock is captured!!! >( *)>
I also think that this is somehow speed-related. It seems to me like Red having a power-up which is like Chuck’s speed boost when tapped/clicked.
The thing about this is that it would make Chuck obsolete. I think it’ll be a completely new power, and it’ll surprise us.
I think he will go all “crazyball” on us and bounce off things with great speed. Possibly creating rebound opportunities that were not there before.
It would be awesome if it could have the same theme as “The big setup”, but called “The bigger setup”.
Yes, it does :D
I noticed something.
This is the first teaser for any ABO update.
No your wrong, Rovio has made some other teasers for ABO. Here is one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u3uLFBTjPk (Says in video description that it is Coming soon)
Oh.
Anyone else notice the big green thing at the top left of the screen that looks like sort of angry bird looking aircraft with big shades on?
It seems to be a mountain, not an aircraft…
Looks like a tree to me.
I love all the conjecture. I hope Rovio has someone. reading these threads as there are some great ideas.
I personally prefer Red as he is.
Simple.
However, I’m still very interested with the ability about to be introduced. We got birds which speed up, bomerrang around, drop eggs, explode, puff up….
I can’t think what new things that Rovio can introducee. :P
Now only AB Space is in need for an update…
Omega X
Yes. Since Pig Dipper, all but Rio have received more than one proper update with levels, and Space hasn’t even gotten any. It really needs an update.