Angry Birds launching onto Facebook next month

It's a surprise that the prolific Angry Birds franchise has yet to makes its way onto Facebook. That's about to change come February, as Rovio looks to expand its billion-dollar franchise to new platforms.

The Facebook version of Angry Birds is scheduled for a Valentine's Day launch and will offer new features not found in the mobile version of the game. Social is obviously a big focus, as leaderboards will play heavily into the game's design.

You'll be able to buy your way to higher scores via microtransactions. You'll be able to buy bigger, better, stronger birds, and you'll be able to buy power-ups (like an earthquake, for 99 cents). Rovio's Peter Vesterbacka told Penn-Olsen that 30% of Angry Birds players are "interested" in buying power-ups. Given the game's multimillion audience, power-ups are quite a lucrative venture.

In addition to the new social features, Angry Birds on Facebook will promise "higher quality animation" which can be appreciated when playing in full screen mode. Finally, the game that millions play while on the toilet is getting the big-budget big-screen treatment it deserves.

(via VentureBeat)