Original Flappy Bird creator makes clear he is not involved with new game following backlash

Some things are best left in the past, but one certain area of pop culture has got people talking online - Flappy Bird.

If you cast your mind back to 10 years ago, the little yellow bird became a viral sensation. It was so popular, that it racked up around $50,000 per day in revenue as people across the world became hooked on the addictive game.

Despite various clones of the game resurfacing and being taken down, the original has never been revived.

In a tweet shared earlier this week, a verified X/Twitter account (@flappy_bird) shared: "I AM BACK!!"

"Just a decade ago, I was the talk of the town and soaring to new heights with my 100 million friends," the post continued, humouring: "Sadly, I had to leave the fame and spotlight behind to go home and find out who I really am."

It went on to thank fans of the game, before adding that it's feeling "refreshed, reinvigorated, and ready to soar again."

The tweet also featured a notice from the platform claiming that it appears to be a "crypto scam" in an attempt to sell NFTs.

The announcement divided the online community, with some questioning whether it had ties to blockchain.

In a statement, it said the team "is led by a dedicated team of passionate fans and industry veterans who share a deep love for Flappy Bird and sought to rescue the iconic gameplay and IP for the community of over 100 million enthusiasts."

"The Flappy Bird Foundation is committed to preserving the Flappy Bird IP and expanding the legacy of Flappy Bird," it said. "By faithfully bringing back our classic and nostalgic gameplay while introducing new elements, the Foundation aims to give back to the global fan community that created the phenomenon."

Questions were raised, however, when it was revealed that Michael Roberts was the chief creative. He is also a mobile game developer involved with cryptocurrency and NFTs, creating suspicions online as to whether Flappy Bird would follow suit.

The original creator Dong Nguyen cleared up that he had nothing to do with the comeback and doesn't approve of crypto as a whole.

In a tweet, he wrote: "No, I have no related with their game. I did not sell anything. I also don't support crypto."

Back in 2014, Nguyen pulled the plug on the popular game after sharing: "I can call Flappy Bird a success of mine. But it also ruins my simple life. So now I hate it."

Nguyen has largely avoided the limelight since.

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.