A decade ago, Flappy Bird became a sensation among smartphone users, with many of us spending far too long getting the little yellow guy to climb higher and higher along pipes. But, it didn’t last long, with it soon pulled from app stores. Here at Engadget, we were excited by the news last week that Flappy Bird is coming back to our devices in 2025. However, there’s one person who isn’t psyched: Flappy Bird‘s creator, Dong Nguyen. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm he isn’t involved in or profiting off the new version. “No, I have no related with their game. I did not sell anything. I also don’t support crypto,” he stated.
No, I have no related with their game. I did not sell anything.
I also don’t support crypto.— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) September 15, 2024
The team behind the new Flappy Bird iteration has been open about being a “new team of passionate fans.” Nguyen’s trademark was reportedly considered abandoned, and Gametech Holdings LLC picked it up for free. The new team then got the rights to Flappy Bird from Gametech.
It’s unlikely Nguyen would have ever revived the game on his own. He released the original game in May 2013 and made about $50,000 a day from advertising when it blew up the following January. However, he took the game down only a month later, stating, “I cannot take this anymore.” In an interview with Forbes then, Nguyen explained, “Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed. But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it’s best to take down Flappy Bird. It’s gone forever.”
