LONDON — “Angry Birds” is among the most popular smartphone games ever. It has spawned a series of sequels, a line of toys and clothing, and a feature film.
Now, its owners want to cash in.
Rovio Entertainment, the Finnish maker of the “Angry Birds” games, said on Tuesday that it would go public in Helsinki.
The gaming company said that the initial public offering would consist of the sale of stock by its main shareholder, Trema International Holdings, and other shareholders. The company is also seeking to issue additional shares worth 30 million euros, or about $36 million, in the offering.
Rovio helped usher in the rise of smartphone games, building an empire around the “Angry Birds” brand. In the game, released in 2009, users fling birds at elaborate structures built by pigs that have stolen their eggs.
The idiosyncratic concept now has several spinoffs that rank among the most downloaded games on smartphones and tablets. Rovio’s titles have been downloaded 3.7 billion times, the company said, and its games business accounted for 79 percent of its revenue in the 12 months through June.
Its feature film grossed around $350 million worldwide; a sequel is planned for release in September 2019, according to Rovio.
The announcement of the public offering marks a turnaround for a company that struggled financially in the years following the initial release of “Angry Birds.”
Rovio, like other mobile gaming companies, found it difficult to diversify beyond its hit brand. Mikael Hed, a co-founder, stepped down as its chief executive in 2014, and the company announced plans to cut nearly 40 percent of its work force the following year.
Rovio, which started out by selling its games, was…