Many iconic bird characters have made a mark on humanity over the years, but few have made a comeback as sensational as Flappy Bird’s iPhone return. The side-scrolling game gained popularity before the concept of “going viral” was so firmly established in our vocabulary, and despite its simplicity, it drew in a huge crowd. A decade after it was pulled from stores with the developer no longer able to keep up with the game’s popularity, it seems a new team has purchased the rights to the game.
Flappy Bird’s comeback is unexpected but not unwelcome. There are hundreds of games that have spawned ever since, even ones that make you use your voice to control your character through the pipe-lined obstacle course, but none of them were able to garner the same level of success. Perhaps the nostalgia will be enough to have people celebrating Flappy Bird’s 10-year return.
Image: Flappy Bird Trailer
Flappy Bird’s Returns to the iPhone, But Why Did the Game Ever Leave?
Indie developer Nguyen Ha Dong was rumored to have made the game in three days, not thinking too much about its 2013 release—he never expected the game to take off the way it did. The game started gathering over 2-3 million downloads on iOS and Android in a single day, with more people joining the trend every day.
Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie was credited with bringing some of the attention to the game along with other popular YouTube channels. A large part of its success had to do with how it was possible for anyone to play at zero cost, even if the challenge of getting through a game for more than a few seconds tripped everybody up repeatedly.
Not only was the game popular, but the developer was also making a lot of money from ad revenue, totaling up to over $50,000 USD per day. It was a success story if there ever was one.
While most of us would have stretched out the game’s popularity as far as it could go, the developer felt the attention was all too much for him. On February 8, 2014, he tweeted, “I am sorry ‘Flappy Bird’ users, 22 hours from now, I will take ‘Flappy Bird’ down. I cannot take this anymore.”
He was evidently overwhelmed by the attention the game had seen and no longer wanted to be at the receiving end of it. He clarified that this wasn’t due to any legal action against the game or himself but instead, a decision he made for himself.
For all the positive attention and love the game received, there was a parallel amount of hate and anger directed towards the developer. People who took the game too seriously were enraged at its difficulty levels and it was rumored that many went as far as to send him death threats over it.
He was constantly at the center of media attention and many began to criticize him for creating such an “addictive” game. A game studio can share the burdens of negative reviews around more evenly but for a one-man team, things get a lot harder.
The call to take down Flappy Bird felt extreme to many, but it was his decision to make. Now, Flappy Bird is making its iPhone return with a brand new team.
Flappy Bird Relaunch Comes with a Slight Rebrand
Flappy Bird’s comeback was revealed with a dedicated website update along with a new launch video. The goofy trailer markets the return look like the rise and fall of a hero, and it’s not wrong, the game created a wave that others have tried and failed to duplicate. The website also provides a brief speech that appears to be from the bird of the hour itself, returning after its 10-year journey of self-discovery.
“Just a decade ago, I was the talk of the town and soaring to new heights with my 100 million friends. Sadly, I had to leave the fame and spotlight behind to go home and find out who I really am. Thanks to my super Flappy Bird fans, I’m refreshed, reinvigorated, and ready to soar again. The decade-long mission involved acquiring legal rights and even working with my predecessor to uncage me and re-hatch the official Flappy Bird game!”
The trailer doesn’t provide an exact release date, but it does mention that Flappy will return in 2024. X/Twitter user Wario64 suggests that dedicated apps for Android and iOS could be expected in 2025 and they were also able to share some screenshots from the game.
Flappy Bird’s relaunch is being organized by the Flappy Bird Foundation, a team of dedicated fans who acquired the trademark rights. The foundation claims that Flappy Bird’s comeback has involved a “decade-long, convoluted journey” but they’re finally ready to revive the game.
There is talk that the foundation was only able to take over the game because the original developer was unable to hold on to the copyrights, which allowed it to lapse. This makes the game’s return unsavory but we don’t know the extent to which this is true.
Are Things Changing With Flappy Bird’s Return
Flappy Bird’s relaunch is expected to bring the familiar character and design back, but it won’t remain entirely unchanged. There are a host of new flapping characters to see, and the website gives us a brief glimpse of them. This includes Peng the plump penguin, the unicorn-horned bird Quirky, the robot bird Teckno, and finally Trixy, the three-eyed wonder who has captured Flappy’s heart.
The Flappy Bird-centric news also revealed that we can expect new game modes, including an easy mode for those unfamiliar with the game or those who just want to build up their skills. You can also shoot past basketball hoops and there’s a rival mode to challenge opponents, but we don’t know how that will play out yet.
It’s interesting to Flappy Bird’s iPhone and Android return and the evolution of the game concept. Like most games today, just one setting without variation may not be enough to keep gamers hooked to the game. The expansion of the Flappy Bird universe may eventually allow for the Angry Bird treatment, establishing an ecosystem of media content around it.
The Flappy Bird relaunch has generated quite a bit of excitement but will its actual performance be able to revive the magic of the past and will the original developer be compensated for his creation? Let’s see.