For those that are not familiar with the Roku line of streaming devices, you might want to be. Roku has been quietly making a name for themselves by providing compact and portable streaming devices that offer a wide variety of both free and subscription Internet streaming video programming. While these Roku devices offer the usual suspects like Netflix streaming, Amazon streaming, Hulu Plus, and Epix streaming, it also offers a number of other offerings. It has become one of the first platforms of choice for pretty much every new streaming offering.

Roku has launched their new line of second generation Roku streaming boxes, and the big addition this time around will be the addition of casual games. Yes, the Roku device will be adding a number of casual game offerings, which will be led out of the gate by none other than Angry Birds.

Roku has teamed up with Hillcrest Motion Tech to use their technology in the new Roku remote that will now use the Hillcrest Motion control technology to allow players to play these new casual game offerings. According to Roku, the company is working with a number of partners on casual title offerings and they intend of test the waters with users to see if casual gaming can be popular on a device of this type. The company has made a substantial investment betting on the casual game market, because the new Roku 2 devices (instead of being less) are going to be sold for the same prices as the last generation; and much of this we suspect is the addition of the new remote with motion control.

While it is too early to tell, we suspect that those buying a Roku could be very attracted to the addition of casual games if they don’t already have a gaming console. We suspect that it will do best in environments like second TV sets that happen to have a Roku attached to them instead of a gaming console. Still, we believe that throwing in Angry Birds with the purchase of a new Roku 2, even if it is for a limited time, could prove to be a smart move by the company. For sure, the addition of Angry Birds will be big, even though owners of the older model Roku units will not be able to enjoy the fun.