Flappy Bird Revival Sparks Controversy Over Crypto Ties

According to Cointelegraph, the original creator of the mobile game Flappy Bird, Dong Nguyen, has distanced himself from a group claiming to bring the game back after a decade-long hiatus. Nguyen took to X on September 15, marking his first post since 2017, to address the company planning to re-release the 2013 game after acquiring the trademark earlier this year. On September 13, a group named The Flappy Bird Foundation announced the re-release of Flappy Bird, asserting in an X post that it had acquired legal rights and collaborated with Nguyen's predecessor to launch the game. Nguyen, however, clarified that he did not sell anything and has no relation to the game, adding that he does not support crypto. The Flappy Bird Foundation claimed it obtained the rights to Flappy Bird from Gametech Holdings LLC. Gametech had filed an opposition to Nguyen’s Flappy Bird trademark last year and secured the rights in January after the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) determined Nguyen had abandoned it. Flappy Bird, originally released in May 2013, was a side-scrolling mobile game where players tapped their phone screens to guide a bird through gaps in green pipes. The game became a viral hit by early 2014, becoming the most downloaded game on Apple’s App Store, with Nguyen claiming it was generating $50,000 a day. However, Nguyen abruptly pulled the game in 2014, citing its addictive nature as the reason. Hidden website pages for the Flappy Bird Foundation’s revived game suggest that crypto could play a role in its launch, with hints at a token, a launch on Solana, and a play-to-earn game model. Researcher Varun Biniwale discovered a now-offline page stating that Flappy Bird would “fly higher than ever on Solana as it soars into Web 3.0,” indicating it would be a Web 3 game with “play and earn” features, “stake to own,” and “free airdrops.” A prototype of the game mentioned a “$FLAP token” on the Telegram-linked The Open Network (TON) blockchain, and another prototype invited players to connect a TON wallet for rewards. Biniwale pointed out that Michael Roberts, head of studio at crypto game developer 1208 Production, claimed on LinkedIn to have spearheaded the return of Flappy Bird. Roberts did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Biniwale questioned whether the project aims to capitalize on the nostalgic appeal of the beloved game while quietly integrating cryptocurrency and Web3 elements, suggesting it might be a somewhat shady endeavor.