Rovio Entertainment, the masterminds behind the Angry Birds series, is paying tribute to English metal band Iron Maiden by turning the band’s “Eddie” mascot into a playable character in an upcoming Halloween event for Angry Birds Evolution.
The event, along with Eddie’s inclusion, was announced today through a press release, which stated players can celebrate Halloween with the game starting Oct. 18. However, the Iron Maiden-themed update for Angry Birds Evolution is already available on iOS devices.
Eddie, typically a humanoid figure, takes on an avian form for the event and is referred to as “Eddie the Bird.” The mascot has been on every Iron Maiden album cover and will have multiple in-game variations covering Eddie’s appearances throughout the band’s eras. Specifically, Eddie the Bird will take visual cues from the artwork on the “Killers,” “Powerslave,” “Somewhere in Time” and “Book of Souls” albums.
“Our team is filled with massive Iron Maiden fans and Eddie was both our first choice [and] a natural fit in Angry Birds Evolution,” said Miika Tams, VP Games and Product Lead in the statement. Tams also mentioned “fans will love seeing Eddie the Bird raise hell” in the game’s world, Bird Island.
While Eddie the Bird is introduced to the Evolution world during a two-week event, players who add the metal-inspired character to their party keep him permanently. Evolution continues its heavy metal Halloween by transforming the game world itself, dedicated to Iron Maiden and the metal genre.
A video showcasing Eddie’s Angry Birds form was also released, with one of the series’ iconic green pigs finding a book that unleashes the metal icon into the world. This same form of Eddie will also make an appearance in the band’s official game, Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast in 2018.
Angry Birds Evolution is available for free on Android and iOS devices.