Flappy Bird Creator to Pull Game from Stores (Updated)
Update: As promised, Dong Nguyen has removed one of the most talked about mobile games from the App Store and the Google Play store. Flappy Bird is no longer available to download, but that doesn't mean the marketplace hasn't been flooded with others eager to capitalize not only on Flappy Bird's unusual success, but also the vacancy it left after being pulled by its creator.
Fly Birdie - Flappy Bird Flyer now sits atop the Free Game Downloads section on the iOS store, followed by Ironpants, a less obvious clone, though one that's nonetheless identical in style. Over on Google Play, Ironpants and the dubiously named Clumsy Bird are neck-and-neck atop the Free Game Downloads. Of course, if those few replacements aren't enough, you could dig a bit deeper for the likes of Flappy Wings, Flappy Fish or Flappy Pig.
Original Story: Dong Nguyen, creator of the hit mobile game, Flappy Bird, has announced that he will be pulling the title from stores on Feb. 9.
Nguyen, the only member of his development company, .GEARS Studios, made the announcement on Twitter. This news comes just a few weeks after the game's release and boom in popularity.
According to an email interview with TechCrunch, Nguyen said, "I don’t know how my games can be so popular. Most of my players are kids in schools. I would like to thanks them for playing my game and sharing it to other people.”
The popularity of Flappy Bird was unexpected on his end, but it seems now that Nguyen can't hang onto it. He further explained himself on Twitter and reassured the public that it's not because of legal issues.
At the same time, he's not going to sell the intellectual property to anyone else, but will still continue to make games. Only time will tell what fate awaits Flappy Bird and its legions of frustrated fans, but we'll keep you updated on this story as more information is made available.