Rovio’s Angry Birds have grown beyond the humble (and lucrative) mobile beginnings. Following yesterday's tease, the studio revealed a new direction for the property that will have an inspirational message.

Angry Birds Stella is a departure from the birds-vs-pigs core of the existing games. Rovio says that the title will be focused on “empowerment and other real issues.” 

Unlike past titles, Stella and her friends will have individual personalities. The project will exist across different media, and with an Angry Birds movie coming up, it’s not far-fetched to think that might be part of Stella’s scope.

Rovio hasn’t disclosed gameplay details, just that there will be games based on this new offshoot of the brand. There will also be animation, toys, and books over the coming years.

Our Take
With details so thin, I’m able to see the potential for Rovio to do some good by leveraging its popular property to tackle more compelling subjects. I’d like to believe that the company is sincere in its purpose, but it’s hard to look at the Angry Birds merchandising machine and not be a little skeptical