(Reuters) – Japan’s Sega Sammy Holdings Inc is nearing a deal to acquire Rovio Entertainment, the company behind the ‘Angry Birds’ mobile game, for about $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Tokyo-based Sega could finalize the deal to complete the acquisition of Rovio by early next week, the report said citing people familiar with the matter.
Israeli peer Playtika had made a preliminary bid in January to buy Rovio for 683 million euros ($750.96 million), but the Angry Birds maker confirmed last month talks had ended.
Rovio and Sega did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
($1 = 0.9095 euros)
(Reporting by Rahat Sandhu in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
