'Angry Birds' versions to come to TV

SAN FRANCISCO - Roku Inc., the television set-top box maker spunoff by Netflix, is adding the "Angry Birds" game to its service,marking the first time the popular title played on iPhones and iPadshas been available on TVs.

Three versions of "Angry Birds" will be available for purchaselater this year, Chief Executive Officer Anthony Wood said in aninterview. Players in the game fire birds from slingshots atfortresses of pigs who have stolen their eggs.

Casual games would help closely held Roku boost revenue as morecompanies vie to offer products on Web-enabled TVs. Sony, Nintendoand Microsoft stream games, movies and TV shows on their gameconsoles. "Angry Birds" has been a top-selling application onApple's iPhone and later iPad since its debut in December 2009.

"We think casual games are going to be big on TV," Wood said.Customers wanting to play the game will need to buy a new RokuPlayer coming out this year, he said, declining to reveal details ofits cost or new features.

Roku's set-top boxes provide Internet links that allow TV viewersto watch movies rentals from Netflix or pipe music from servicessuch as Pandora through their home entertainment systems. SamsungElectronics, LG Electronics and other television makers areintroducing sets that let users stream content directly from the Webwithout a set-top box.

Google and Apple also are vying to deliver popular TV shows andmovies through consumer electronic gear.

Roku, based in Saratoga, Calif., will get 30 percent of therevenue from sales of the game, "Angry Birds" short videos andmerchandise sold through its Internet TV platform, Wood said. Rokuis negotiating with other casual-games makers to deliver additionaltitles, he said.

Helsinki-based Rovio Mobile, maker of "Angry Birds," and otherpublishers of iPhone games are trying to develop cross-mediafranchises based on their hit digital characters.

Roku, which has sold more than 1 million of its devices, plans tocontinue cutting the price of its boxes, which sold for $115 in May2008 and now go for as little as $60.

Netflix hired Wood in 2007 to help the DVD-rental company movedevelop an online service. Netflix planned to release its own boxuntil Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings decided to stay out ofthe hardware business. Wood created a separate company, and Netflixbacked it with $6 million.