Flappy Bird could return, creator says

Flappy Bird could return, creator Dong Nguyen told Rolling Stone.

The free-to-play mobile phenomenon launched last September on iOS and this January on Android. By early February, Nguyen said that Flappy Bird was generating more than $50,000 a day in ad revenue. In mid-February, Nguyen pulled the game because he was concerned that it had "become an addictive product." Feedback from those who either played or knew of Flappy Bird contributed to his concern. He's kept messages from people who criticized him for "distracting the children of the world." He heard of people breaking their phones and losing their jobs.

"At first I thought they were just joking," Nguyen said, "but I realize they really hurt themselves."

Those who downloaded it can still play Flappy Bird, and he continues to earn "tens of thousands of dollars" from the game. Asked whether he might reintroduce Flappy Bird at some point, he said it's a possibility.

"I'm considering it," he said.

If Flappy Bird does return for sale, its creator also said it would do so with a warning imploring players to "Please take a break."

Since its takedown, many Flappy Bird clones have appeared in mobile app stores. One report pegged 95 similar games that launched on a single day in February. Its lack of retail availability didn't stop a crowdfunding campaign from launching for Flappy, a wireless plush toy controller for the game.

For more on Flappy Bird, be sure to check out our coverage of the Flappy Jam, an indie game jam focused on what made the simple game fun. You can also watch an episode of Friends List, which explores the question of whether video games can be addictive.