Finland Creates the Best Mobile Games, Including Angry Birds

Mobile games are a booming business in Finland and are expected to bypass the one-billion euro benchmark in revenue before 2020, reports Lassi Lapintie (2013). The amount of Finnish games has skyrocketed in recent history. Of the 150 companies active in the field as of 2012, as many as 40% are startups as two-years-old or newer; and the number is continuing to grow. Compared to high-budget AAA video games, mobile games cost 1/10 of the cost to start and can be wildly successful as more phone users rely on apps for entertainment. Therefore, it's a more accessible market for small developers to tap into.

The most famous game to come from Finland is Angry Birds, created by Finnish developer Rovio Entertainment. The franchise is now one of the most recognizable game icons of the 21st century on an international scale. The game is loved by many for its fun and simple premise, comical illustration and accessible price point. Though it began as a mobile game, it has since been introduced to PC and gaming consoles, made its way onto mounds of merchandise, and been the subject of cartoon series and a feature film.

Another game gaining traction is Supercell Game's Clash of Clans, which has ranked first of Apple Store's top-grossing apps in 77 countries. The game is free to play, so revenue is generated solely on ads and micro-transactions made by the players in-game.

Finland's success in the mobile game industry can be credited to a tech-savvy population, mobile know-how as the birthplace of Nokia, and an effective higher education system.