It’s all part of Rovio’s “Bring the Anger” campaign, which also includes the “Rage Rider” electric scooter. In Angry Birds 2, Rovio is pushing players to take out as many pigs as they can during November, which will lead to a $100,000 donation to UNICEF’s Education in Emergencies fund. It turns out, those irate birds can also lead to a bit of social good.
During a brief demo at the 10xBeta labs in Brooklyn, where the Venting Machine was built, it made a striking first impression. It looks like a giant version of Red, the most iconic Angry Birds character, complete with a pair of bouncy feathers up top. The machine is covered in a soft foam material, with extra padding along the front to withstand your fists, and it has a large screen in the center. It’s comfortable to punch, and every hit also lights up an LED to show you’ve made some damage. (Kicking isn’t allowed, since it’ll be too hard to clean regularly for a public event.)