Flappy Bird's creator denies involvement in the 'official' new version of the game.
A decade has passed since the sudden disappearance of Flappy Bird, a game that once captivated millions of players worldwide. In a surprising turn of events, an organization calling itself the Flappy Bird Foundation recently emerged, announcing ambitious plans to "re-hatch the official Flappy Bird® game." This news sparked excitement and curiosity among fans who have long awaited the game's return.
However, the morning following the foundation's announcement, the game's original creator, Dong Nguyen, took to social media to set the record straight. In a characteristically concise statement, Nguyen declared that he has no involvement in the supposed revival and that he "did not sell anything." He also added a seemingly unprompted disclaimer: "I also don’t support crypto."
Nguyen's comments do not explicitly contradict the Flappy Bird Foundation's announcement, which described the group as a "new team of passionate fans committed to sharing the game with the world." According to the foundation, they had "acquired the rights from Gametech Holdings, LLC." Indeed, public records show that Gametech successfully filed to terminate Nguyen’s Flappy Bird trademark a couple of years ago, suggesting a potential legal basis for the foundation's claims.
Despite this, Nguyen's post underscores his lack of involvement in the new project and hints at discontent with the current situation. His mention of cryptocurrency, however, left many puzzled, as the Flappy Bird Foundation's current press materials make no mention of crypto-related plans.
Intrigued by Nguyen's cryptic reference, researcher Varun Biniwale delved into hidden pages on the Flappy Bird Foundation's website. Buried within, Biniwale discovered a lone reference to Flappy Bird soaring "higher than ever on Solana as it ascends into Web 3.0." While the exact meaning of this statement remains unclear, it suggests that the foundation may have entertained or is still considering cryptocurrency or blockchain-related features for the game.
Flappy Bird, at its core, is a deceptively simple side-scrolling game featuring retro graphics. First released in 2013, it quickly became a viral sensation, eventually climbing to the top of both the iOS and Android app stores. The game's massive success, however, came at a cost. In February 2014, at the height of its popularity, Nguyen made the unexpected decision to take the app down, explaining, "I cannot take this anymore." The removal of Flappy Bird from app stores marked the end of an era, leaving fans to wonder if the game would ever make a comeback.
Now, with the Flappy Bird Foundation's announcement and Nguyen's subsequent disavowal, the future of Flappy Bird remains as uncertain as ever. While fans may be eager to see the game's return, the circumstances surrounding its potential revival have raised more questions than answers.