Flappy Bird was more than just a mobile game - it was a cultural phenomenon that captured the attention of millions worldwide. Developed by Vietnamese video game artist and programmer Dong Nguyen under his company .Gears, this casual mobile game became an overnight sensation in 2014, earning $50,000 per day from in-app advertisements.
The Game That Started It All
Flappy Bird is a side-scroller where players control a bird named Faby as it navigates through pairs of pipes. The gameplay is simple yet addictive, requiring the player to tap the touchscreen to make the bird ascend and avoid colliding with pipes or the ground. With its high level of difficulty and constant need for improvement, Flappy Bird was designed to be a challenging yet rewarding experience.
A Brief History of Mobile App Development
Dong Nguyen's journey in mobile app development began when he discovered video games as a child. He started coding his own games at 16 and won an internship at Punch Entertainment, one of Vietnam's few video game companies, while studying programming at university. Inspired by the simplicity of games like Angry Birds, Nguyen wanted to create a game that was easy to play on-the-go.
The Rise to Fame
Flappy Bird was initially released in May 2013 but didn't gain much traction until early 2014 when it became a sleeper hit. The game's popularity skyrocketed after being reviewed by Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie, and it soon topped the Free Apps chart in various app stores around the world.
The Removal of Flappy Bird
In February 2014, Nguyen announced that he would be removing Flappy Bird from both Apple's App Store and Google Play. Despite initial speculation about legal issues or concerns over addiction, Nguyen revealed that his decision was motivated by guilt over the game's addictive nature. The sudden removal caused phones with the installed app to become highly sought after online.
Legacy of Mobile App Development
Flappy Bird may have been removed from app stores, but its impact on mobile app development remains significant. The game's simplicity and addictiveness paved the way for other casual games that focused on ease of play rather than complexity. Additionally, Flappy Bird's removal highlighted the importance of responsible gaming practices and the need for developers to consider the potential consequences of their creations.
As a testament to its enduring popularity, clones of Flappy Bird continued to flood app stores after its removal, and both Apple and Google have since removed games deemed too similar to the original. Despite controversy surrounding its addictive nature, Flappy Bird remains an important milestone in the history of mobile app development.