Flappy Bird (2024 video game)
| Flappy Bird | |
|---|---|
_logo.svg){kind=logo} Official logo | |
| Developer(s) | Gametech Holdings |
| Publisher(s) | Gametech Holdings |
| Director(s) | Michael Roberts[1] |
| Platform(s) | Android, iOS, web browser |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Arcade |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Flappy Bird is a 2024 arcade mobile game developed by Gametech Holdings, under the name "The Flappy Bird Foundation", as an unofficial reboot of the original game after acquiring its trademark. It was announced on September 12, 2024, and notably has additional features compared to the original release.
Gameplay
[edit]Similar to the original game, Flappy Bird controls the bird, which moves persistently to the right. The player is tasked with navigating the bird through pairs of pipes that have equally sized gaps placed at random heights. The bird automatically descends and only ascends when the player taps the touchscreen.[2] The game is also set to have other game modes, including a "rivals" mode where 100 players compete against each other.[3]
Development
[edit]On January 12, 2024, the trademark for Flappy Bird was terminated after Gametech Holdings had filed to have it recognized as abandoned, with Dong Nguyen, the original developer of Flappy Bird, failing to reclaim it.[4][5] In addition, the rights to Piou Piou vs. Cactus were acquired by Gametech, alongside employing its developer, Kek, who claims the acquiring to be "a milestone not just in gaming but for [him] personally".[6]
Gametech, under the name "The Flappy Bird Foundation", announced the reboot on September 12, more than ten years after Flappy Bird's discontinuation, showcasing additional features and characters. The game was initially be released exclusively on Telegram by the end of October 2024,[7] with iOS and Android releases set for 2025.[8][9] The game is set to be open source,[10] built on the blockchain platform Solana[11] and include a unique cryptocurrency named the "Flap Token".[12] Prior to its release, a version of the game built on The Open Network was released to allow users to participate in the "Flap-a-TON" event.[13]
Reception
[edit]Upon its unveiling, Flappy Bird was met with generally negative reactions, especially in regards to users on Twitter pointing out its involvement with cryptocurrency and Gametech's acquiring of the trademark.[14] Dong Nguyen, the developer of the original Flappy Bird, affirmed his lack of involvement with the sequel, as well as stating that he did not sell the rights to his game, nor does he "support crypto."[11] In a response, the developers claimed that the game would not feature non-fungible tokens, and that all "Web3 features" would be optional.[15]
Lance Ulanoff of TechRadar criticized Flappy Bird's attempts at recreating the original release, claiming that it "bear[s] little resemblance to the originals but [does] have just enough to trigger that other simian response: nostalgia."[16] Rich Stanton of PC Gamer, while indecisive on the trademark acquiring, states that "there's a small bit of [him] that wants to see [Flappy Bird] smash straight into a pipe."[6]
References
[edit]
- ^ Middler, Jordan (September 15, 2024). "Original Flappy Bird creator denounces crypto-backed re-release". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ Khan, Imran (September 12, 2024). "Casual mobile hit Flappy Bird returns to stores under odd circumstances". VentureBeat. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ Roth, Emma (September 12, 2024). "Flappy Bird is coming back". The Verge. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ Robertson, Joshua (September 12, 2024). "Flappy Bird Is Returning After A Decade Following Trademark Takeover". TheGamer. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
- ^ "Dong Nguyen Ha v. Gametech Holdings, LLC - Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Stanton, Rich (September 13, 2024). "Flappy Bird makes an unlikely comeback after its creator apparently let the trademark lapse and the vultures swept right in". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ Shutler, Ali (September 13, 2024). "'Flappy Bird' is coming back 10 years after it was taken down". NME. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (September 12, 2024). "10 Years After It Was Pulled Offline, Viral Mobile Game Flappy Bird Is Coming Back". IGN. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (September 12, 2024). "Flappy Bird to return a decade after its viral rise and fall". Polygon. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ Ku, Russell (September 13, 2024). "Crypto trap? What you should know about the 'Flappy Bird' revival game". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ a b Serin, Kaan (September 15, 2024). "Flappy Bird's OG creator clarifies he didn't "sell anything" to the blockchain-pushing 'Flappy Bird Foundation' that's reviving the infamous mobile icon: "I also don't support crypto"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ Lopez, Alexandria (September 15, 2024). "'I did not sell anything': 'Flappy Bird' creator denounces upcoming 're-release' of viral game". The Mary Sue. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ Carpenter, Nicole (September 16, 2024). "Original Flappy Bird developer not involved with rerelease". Polygon. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Coloma, AC. "Flappy Bird to return after 10 years, receives mixed reactions for crypto ties". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ Chalk, Andy (September 23, 2024). "The zombie Flappy Bird saga gets weirder: 'The game will never have NFTs' but it does have Web3 features and you can only play it through Telegram, which doesn't seem great". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ Ulanoff, Lance (September 15, 2024). "Flappy Bird reboot will never match the awfulness of the original and that's a problem". TechRadar. Retrieved September 15, 2024.