Why The Flappy Bird Creator Took 2014's Most Popular Mobile Game Down
Mobile game creator of 'Flappy Bird' has pulled the game down from Apple's App Store and the Google Play platform. But Flappy Bird could return, creator Dong Nguyen recently told Rolling Stone.
By Melody Oei — 10 Feb 2014, 10:37 AM — Updated over 10 years ago
The World's Most Loved And Hated Bird Is Flying Back Soon
We hope you enjoyed your life over the past month and a half; Flappy Bird is coming back to the App Store after its removal earlier this year, according to the game’s developer Dong Nguyen.
gawker.com
As you can see, Nguyen doesn’t give a timeline but does say it won’t be “soon,” which suggests possibly there’s some additional development going into the game, or at least some kind of preparatory action so that Nguyen can deal with the life upheaval that’s bound to follow.
techcrunch.com
One Month After Pulling The Game Down, Flappy Bird Creator Says He's Considering Bringing It Back
Now that Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen has enjoyed a month out of the spotlight, he’s thinking about bringing back his hit game, and releasing some new ones.
rollingstone.com
Rolling Stone’s David Kushner managed to track down Nguyen in his home town of Hanoi, Vietnam, where he’s been hiding out at a friend’s house and dodging most media requests. And apparently, he’s feeling a lot better now:
time.com
Since taking Flappy Bird down, he says he’s felt “relief. I can’t go back to my life before, but I’m good now.”
rollingstone.com
As for the future of his flapper, he’s still turning down offers to purchase the game. Nguyen refuses to compromise his independence.
polygon.com
But asked if Flappy Bird will ever fly again? “I’m considering it,” Nguyen says. He’s not working on a new version, but if he ever releases one it will come with a “warning,” he says: “Please take a break.”
Rolling Stone Also Explains How Nguyen Took A Previous Gam And Stripped The Idea Down Further So Players Didn't Have To Look At Where They Tapped On The Screen
He modeled the game on one of the most masocore analog creations ever: paddleball. The toy was a simple design – just a wooden paddle with a string attached to a rubber ball. But players would be lucky to bounce the ball more than a few times in a row.
rollingstone.com
Like paddleball, he limited his game to just a couple of elements – the bird and the pipes – and resisted the usual urge to lard the action with new elements as the player progressed. He tuned the physics so that the bird was fighting gravity so strong, even the slightest wrong tap would kill it.
time.com
The Creator Of Much-Hyped Mobile Game Flappy Bird Pulled The App From Apple's App Store And Android's Google Play Platform
In a bizarre turn of events, the Vietnamese creator of the maddeningly difficult #1 Android and Apple iOS game Flappy Bird is saying that he’s taking the game down within the next day.
forbes.com
If you haven't already downloaded the addictive and much-hyped Flappy Bird mobile game for iOS or Android, you're out of luck.
mashable.com
The 'Passionate Indie Game Maker' Announced On Twitter That He "Just Cannot Keep It Anymore"
Vietnam-based Dong Nguyen says he has been overwhelmed by the media interest in him and his game.
Image via bbcimg.co.ukDeveloper Dong Nguyen announced the decision on Twitter just a few hours ago:
“I am sorry ‘Flappy Bird’ users, 22 hours from now, I will take ‘Flappy Bird’ down. I cannot take this anymore.”
Forbes Says "This Sort Of Move Is Perplexing As Nguyen Is Reported To Be Bringing In Over RM150,000 A Day From In-App Advertising Revenue"
"It would be understandable if say, Nintendo was suing him for ripping off their art, but he claims that isn’t the case."
forbes.com
"I was hard pressed to find actual hate-filled comments responding to any of his tweets, even in his most recent ones about taking the game down. That said, I’m sure he’s seen negative things said about him or the game elsewhere on the internet, and one hurtful comment can offset a hundred uplifting ones."
forbes.comFlappy Bird Was Launched In May 2013 And Was Downloaded More Than 50 Million Times, Making It This Year's Most Popular Mobile Game So Far
Despite its simple graphics, Flappy Bird was a notoriously difficult game since many users could only keep the bird in the air for a few seconds before hitting an obstacle and falling.
The game went viral after being promoted almost entirely by social media users and was reviewed on a YouTube channel by more than 22 million subscribers.
Dying For A Fix Of Flappy Bird? There Are People Auctioning Off Phones That Have Flappy Bird Installed Online Already
Within hours of the game disappearing from the App Store (seemingly) forever, listings have turned up on Ebay selling iPhones that have the game installed.
kotaku.com
At time of posting, the "cheapest" offer was for an iPhone 5S at $650 (it's already got one bid), while you could buy a 32GB gold iPhone 5S for $1500. Used.
Image via gawkerassets.com
But it’ll cost you: The listing asks for an opening bid of $650.00.