Rovio has closed its Copenhagen studio after the shutdown of Sonic Blitz

Rovio has shuttered its Copenhagen location following the decision to no longer proceed with the mobile game Sonic Blitz.

A representative informed Mobilegamer.biz that while it's unclear how many employees will be affected due to the ongoing redundancy proceedings, around 20 workers were involved with Sonic Blitz.

According to the spokesperson, ending operations in Copenhagen was a hard choice. "We fully recognize the effect this decision has on our employees, especially given the current hurdles within the greater gaming sector."

For any team members who cannot be reassigned to different projects within Rovio, the company promises a thorough transition package. This includes specialized outplacement services and resources for wellbeing to help them in their future job searches.

Alexandre Pelletier-Normand, CEO of Rovio and Chief Operating Officer of Sega West, noted the need to focus their efforts both regarding the games developed and their locations.

Pelletier-Normand mentioned, "When [Sonic Blitz] was introduced, we believed it would be a valuable addition to the Sonic brand and would satisfy its longstanding fans." The game seemed promising initially; however, retention rates did not meet expectations. "We need long-term player engagement with mobile games," he said.

He also expressed confidence in reaching more mobile players with Sonic but acknowledged the complexities involved, which were greater than anticipated by Sega and Rovio. "We remain proud of the game and the team's accomplishments, though it ultimately didn't succeed," he added.

Sonic Blitz was initially soft launched in the Philippines and Brazil in 2025, but it was discontinued the previous month. This move aligns with broader changes underway at the studio.

Rovio emphasized that this choice does not reflect the dedication, innovation, or commitment evident in the development of Sonic Blitz, nor the exceptional support from its community.

In 2023, Sega acquired Rovio for $776 million. Subsequently, Sega announced a $200 million impairment in relation to the acquisition due to performance falling short of initial estimates.

Sega encountered challenges while trying to integrate Rovio's Beacon technology into its mobile offerings. Haruki Satomi, CEO of Sega, noted: "The operational and marketing frameworks of Rovio titles differ significantly, and newer mobile games have not fully utilized Beacon." Consequently, anticipated results from the acquisition have not been realized.