A tweetfrom Dong Nguyen, creator of the maddening and virally popular game Flappy Bird, says the game will disappear from the Android and iOS app stores at noon tomorrow. And here I’d just gotten past the first three pipes!
Update: He followed through; Flappy Bird is officially gone from the App Store and Google Play.
I am sorry 'Flappy Bird' users, 22 hours from now, I will take 'Flappy Bird' down. I cannot take this anymore.
— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014
It is not anything related to legal issues. I just cannot keep it anymore.
— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014
@misterlukeherb @kotaku Ah, I didn't directly stole something. It is quite an art to doing that 🙂
— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014
@misterlukeherb @kotaku Not because of them but because how people use my game. They are overusing it.
— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014
As Kotaku points out, the game has been around since 2013, but recently became wildly popular, boosted by a Buzzfeed article about its simple yet frustratingly difficult to master gameplay. Could this just be a push for even more downloads? Perhaps—the free, ad-supported game has reportedly been raking in $50,000 a day.
https://kotaku.com/i-am-sorry-flappy-bird-users-22-hours-from-now-i-will-1518959784
But lately, Nguyen seemed uncomfortable with its popularity, refusing interviews and other press contact. Apparently enough to scuttle the whole thing.
https://kotaku.com/leave-flappy-birds-creator-alone-1516084211
Press people are overrating the success of my games. It is something I never want. Please give me peace.
— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 4, 2014
So download it while you can. Come tomorrow, the game will disappear—just like all the hours we’ve wasted playing it. [Twitter via Atlantic Tech]
