Rovio announces it will begin publishing games developed by third parties

Rovio Entertainment Ltd., the creator of the “Angry Birds” game franchise and all that has come with it, announced it will begin to license its brand to games developed by third-parties.

The move to publishing represents a significant move, and a new division has been created to spearhead it: Rovio Stars. In its press release, a spokesperson was quoted as saying that Rovio has “positioned itself as one of the powerhouses of mobile entertainment, so moving into publishing is a logical step for us at this point.”

Just last month, The Licensing Letter predicted Rovio would have to do something dramatic to sustain its rate of growth (revenue doubling year-over-year 2011-2012, and net profits up 57%). The company is rapidly becoming a case study on what’s possible in licensing.