Who hasn’t heard about Flappy Bird? There was a time when everybody played and talked about the game. Everybody wondered how such a simple game could be this addictive, but because it was so challenging and fun, players kept playing. If things were going so well for the game, then why was Flappy Bird taken down? Today we will discuss the story behind the game and understand why and where it disappeared, and its impact on mobile gaming. Let’s get started.
The Birth of a Viral Sensation
Dong Nguyen developed Flappy Bird in the year 2013. At that time he was working as an independent developer under his company, Gears Studios. The game he developed had one simple idea. Players had to tap the screen repeatedly to keep a small bird flying, and they had to guide this bird through pairs of green pipes that kept generating. Every time the bird passed between a pair of pipes, they got a point. Whenever the bird hit any pipe, the game ended. The game’s basic graphics did not stop players from getting addicted to the game. Players set new and crazy records, which led the gaming sessions to be long and challenging. More players joined in trying to break previous records. It was a frenzy!
The Meteoric Rise and Overwhelming Success
A few months after its launch, the game began rising in popularity thanks to the Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie mentioning the game in one of his videos. What happened next was wild. The game saw so many downloads that by early 2014 it was topping the App Store charts in many countries. At its peak, it generated 50,000 USD a day from in-game ads.
All the success came with a lot of attention and focus towards Dong Nguyen as well. News and social media showered him with praise and criticism. Interviews, media attention, and even death threats began pouring in. That’s when the game started taking its toll on the lone developer, who found it too overwhelming to handle.
Why Did Flappy Bird Get Deleted?
Why did Flappy Bird get deleted? A lot of people ask that question, but it was deleted by none other than Dong Nguyen himself. He removed the game after his viral tweet on 8th February 2014: “I am sorry, ‘Flappy Bird’ users, 22 hours from now, I will take ‘Flappy Bird’ down. I cannot take this anymore.”
Nguyen explained during interviews he did after the announcement that his original goal was to create a casual game that could be played for a few minutes when one was relaxed. But he soon realized that the game had become too addictive, and he worried about the negative effect it was having on the players’ lives. Not only that, the game had brought a lot of negative effects on his own life because he felt responsible. In short, Flappy Bird was removed by its developer because it was too addictive and stressful for both the developer and the player.
The Personal Toll on the Creator
When Nguyen was pressed on why he took such a step, he mentioned the overwhelming stress, loss of sleep, and too much pressure that Flappy Bird’s success brought with it. The game earned a lot of money, and it was incredibly popular, but it wasn’t worth his peace of mind, and he was suffering. It had strayed away from his original intention for the game, which isn’t something he was happy about either.
Many also asked, “Why did Flappy Bird get banned?” No, the app was never banned by any app store. Its developer decided to take the game down. The decision wasn’t a result of copyright or legal issues either. There were rumors of plagiarism or copying graphics from some classic games, but Nguyen maintained that those claims were baseless. He repeated that the decision to remove Flappy Bird was a personal one to protect his peace and the players.
What Happened to Flappy Bird After the Removal?
“What happened to Flappy Bird?” Everybody had the same thought on 9th February 2014 when they realized the game was no longer on any of the app stores. So, there were no new downloads, but those who had the game installed already could continue to play it. This also had an unexpected result. Phones with Flappy Bird installed in them began selling in the secondary market for insane prices on sites like eBay. A lot of similar games and clones of the original game also flooded the app stores as developers tried to capture the market left behind by Flappy Bird. Despite there being so many clones, no game ever came close to or achieved what the original Flappy Bird did.
Why Was Flappy Bird Taken Down: A Summary
All your burning questions are summarized below:
Why Was Flappy Bird Taken Down?
Dong Nguyen, the developer, removed the game because it was more addictive than he intended. The game had become stressful for him and the player.
Why Did Flappy Bird Get Banned?
The game was never officially banned. It was voluntarily removed by the developer.
What Happened to Flappy Bird?
After removal, the game was playable on devices that had it installed. A lot of clones flooded the market, but none were as good. Many began selling their devices with the original game installed. Despite its removal, the game continues to stay alive in the memories of millions who played and enjoyed it.
Why Was Flappy Bird Removed?
Nguyen stated that he intended the game to be a fun way to relax and not something players would obsess over. That is the reason he removed the game.
When Was Flappy Bird Taken Down?
Flappy Bird was removed from app stores on February 9, 2014.
Conclusion
Flappy Bird was a successful game. However, the success came with pressure and took peace away from Nguyen and the players. That became the reason he removed the game from the app stores. The game is no longer available, and yet it stays alive in the memories of millions of players who had the joy of playing it.
