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Chinese version of Angry Birds Epic will be more core, more pay-to-win

Chimera's Ellen Lyse Einarsen talks cultural differences

Chinese version of Angry Birds Epic will be more core, more pay-to-win

Speaking at the Respawn 2015 event in Cologne, Ellen Lyse Einarsen who was project lead of Angry Birds Epic, which was developed by German outfit Chimera for Rovio, revealed some of the changes the studio had to make to its successful title for the game's imminent Chinese launch.

"Chinese gamers expect to pay", said Einarsen, which is why the Chinese version of Angry Birds Epic will have a pay-to-win VIP system.

In keeping with this, it will also be a considerably more core experience than in the west.

Illustrating her point with a slide depicting an Angry Birds Epic map cluttered with elements, Einarsen revealed that the Chinese version will, in effect, be a new game.

Grinder

While the existing version of Angry Birds Epic can be characterised as a casual RPG, aimed at the same young audience as Angry Birds, the Chinese version is a more traditional - and, to use Einarsen's tongue-in-cheek term, "cruel" - RPG.

Angry Birds Epic - different in China

For instance, whereas the original Angry Birds Epic only lets you obtain new bird classes in a linear fashion, in the Chinese version you'll be able to complete stages to earn puzzle pieces to pay for classes, creating an element of traditional meta game grinding that may appeal to core gamers.

Angry Birds Epic will be available in China by the end of August.

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Having obtained a distinguished education, Rob now corrects grammar in his underwear for a living. The heart wants what it wants.