Flappy Bird returns after a decade on iOS App Store and Google Play Store

In February 2014—over a decade ago—the most popular mobile game on the iOS App Store or Google Play Store vanished unexpectedly. Flappy Bird, which had captivated the world and was generating immense revenue, was suddenly removed. It was a surprising and strange event in video game history. 

The game, which was reportedly earning $50,000 per day, was abruptly discontinued. The overwhelming success and attention were too much for its creator, Dong Nguyen.

"Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed,” Nguyen told Forbes at the time. “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."

When Nguyen initially announced that he would be removing the game, he also mentioned that he wouldn’t sell the app. A decade later, that seems to have changed. According to a press release, The Flappy Bird Foundation has acquired the rights to the game and more.

This means that Flappy Bird has resurfaced before George R.R. Martin finished *The Winds of Winter* and before Rockstar Games released GTA6. Additionally, Valve hasn't released anything major that isn't related to VR or hardware during this period (Counter-Strike 2 is excellent, but it’s largely a revamped version of Global Offensive). Sometimes the unexpected happens!

The new version of Flappy Bird will be significantly enhanced from the original, though it’s uncertain how large the expansion will be or what kind of monetization model will be used to generate income. Early versions of the revamped Flappy Bird are set to arrive in Q3 of 2024, with releases on the App Store and Google Play Store expected in 2025. It seems this revival was inevitable.