A new chapter for Angry Birds in China begins with a major cultural honor and a return to mobile screens.
For a generation of players in China, the iconic squawk of a slingshot launch was the soundtrack to the early smartphone era. While the Angry Birds flock has always enjoyed a massive following in the region, the games were absent from local app stores for a time, leaving fans waiting and wondering about a potential return. Last year, it was announced that that moment had finally arrived. Through a major new strategic partnership and a high-profile re-entry into the market, the birds would officially be back on Chinese screens, proving that sometimes you have to fly away for a while to find your way back home.
And the return hasn’t just been a quiet landing. The birds are back on the ground and already claiming industry accolades, proving that the world’s favorite feathered heroes haven’t missed a beat.
On April 11, 2026, as Angry Birds was awarded with the “Weibo Annual International Classic IP Honor” at the 2026 Weibo Gala – Weibo Cultural Communication Night in Macao, China. The event celebrated the best in global culture, and the award highlighted the brand’s unique ability to connect fans across generations and national borders. The Weibo Gala Committee described the franchise as a “touch of joy that crosses mountains and seas,” noting that the classic creative core of the birds continues to bring a sense of fun and vitality to an international audience.
This recognition comes at the perfect time. The path for the brand’s return to mainland China was recently paved through a strategic partnership with Kingsoft Shiyou, a subsidiary of Kingsoft Corporation Limited. As the exclusive publisher and operator for the region, Kingsoft Shiyou is leading the charge in bringing two beloved titles back to a dedicated local player base. First, a special version of Angry Birds 2 will be released, and later on, a version of the whimsical bubble-popper Angry Birds Dream Blast will arrive in Mainland China thanks to this partnership.
The momentum is already visible. A recent collaboration with Xiaomi saw Angry Birds 2 featured on the new Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, sparking over 100,000 activations in its first month alone. It is clear that while the games were away for a time, the passion from the fans never wavered.
The return to the market is about building on the nostalgia for Angry Birds, and also about taking the brand beyond the games, engaging a community of fans with new initiatives like the “Mischief Maker” Creator Program, and engaging audiences on all platforms. With seventeen years of history already in the books—spanning hit games, animations, and global licensing—the upcoming release of The Angry Birds Movie 3 will mark the next major chapter in this transmedia journey.
This honor reinforces the status of Angry Birds as a cross-generational icon that is still finding new ways to soar. With refined operations in the Chinese market and a focus on innovative digital culture, the franchise is well-positioned to continue its story in richer and more diverse forms than ever before.
The birds are back, the slingshot is ready, and the birds’ journey in China is just beginning.
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