10 years after its untimely demise, mobile game phenomenon Flappy Bird is set to come back bigger and better than ever.
In 2014, just one year after the game took the world by storm, developer Dong Nguyen pulled the game from stores, much to the dismay of fans worldwide. According to Nguyen, “Flappy Bird (is) a success of mine. But it also ruins my simple life. So now I hate it.” The game’s removal was tumultuous, with Nguyen even receiving death threats on X/Twitter by disgruntled fans.
Now, thanks to the team from The Flappy Bird Foundation, a self-described “new team of passionate fans committed to sharing the game with the world”, a new upgraded version of Flappy Bird is set to launch by the end of October 2024 for web browsers, with iOS and Android versions soon to follow in 2025.
The updated release will include “new game modes, characters, progression, and massive multiplayer challenges.” According to the game’s website, these include an easy mode, a basketball-styled hoops mode, and Flappy Bird Rivals, a mode which pits 99 players against one another.
Not every new addition seems to be for the better, as eagle-eyed viewers of the official trailer have spotted something all too familiar in today’s mobile gaming landscape — an interface showing the player’s diamond count, indicating the likely presence of microtransactions. This is in stark contrast to the original game, which was entirely supported by ads.
The Flappy Bird Foundation has reportedly acquired the official Flappy Bird trademark from Gametech Holdings LLC, alongside rights for the original character from Piou Piou vs. Cactus, a mobile game that supposedly inspired Flappy Bird. Kek, the developer of Piou Piou, will also be involved in this new project.
According to Michael Roberts, “chief creative” behind the game’s return, the team is “beyond excited to be bringing back Flappy Bird and delivering a fresh experience that will keep players engaged for years to come. (The team) has big plans for our little Bird!”
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Si Jia
