Flappy Bird Creator Reveals Why He Pulled the App, 'Considering' Returning Flappy Bird to App Store

[subsonix]

I see it as fitting exactly. All of this flack from the "it's everyone else's fault" culture is going to have a different effect on someone not from that culture. I can see it bothering him to the extent of him pulling it and taking some of the "blame" not being used to it. People from those "it's everyone else's fault" countries just blow it off as normal for that culture, stuff like that happens for example in the us all of the time.

I don't expect someone from those cultures to get it really.

Ah, I see what you are saying. Not being used to this kind of thinking he was overwhelmed by the response of users, I can see that being the case. However, I always assumed that a lot of the **** he got was some kind of "meme" or viral phenomenon for lack of a better word. Anyway, I came in contact with this whole thing after the fact and never played the game or whined to the developer myself.

 

[Rajani Isa]

I love the fact that it's the developer's fault that all of these people lost their jobs, didn't do well in school, broke their phones, etc. This guy must be a genius if he can force people all over the world to play his game rather than go to work and school.

I wish the people who contacted him would take responsibility for their own actions rather than blame everyone else.

It's obvious they have a problem. But apparently they're not to the state of accepting "it's my choice".

"I hate all the publicity!!!!"

BRB I have to go do a Rolling Stone interview now...

I could be mistaken, but I doubt Rolling Stone was stalking his house like the local media apparently was.

There is a world of difference between the two

I really respect this guy.

The fact that the Macrumors community so strenuously disagrees with me is maybe a sign that I don't belong here anymore.

If it helps, I agree with you.

I understand the paparazzi thing, but....
They should stop selling beer, it ruins people's lives. Hmmmm.....
If it wasn't flappy bird, it would've been another game. I'm sure PLENTY of people go through crap because they don't do what they're supposed to when they're supposed to. Making something fun isn't a drawback. It's not addicting like crack because it doesn't have degenerative qualities to human chem.

The big thing people here seem to be missing is he said he's recovered gaming addict. Would you blame someone who's an alcoholic who decided running a liquor store or microbrewery isn't for them? That they didn't want to do something that they felt was enabling someone else's addiction(s)?

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I'm going to take a guess that a M5 is kind of unwieldy to park in Vietnam.

Yeah, mid-to-full size sedan vs. a mini.

Hanoi is a full enough city where you better have a reason for having a big car or you will be seen as nothing more than an *******. Or american XD

A peak at Hanoi

 

[Toltepeceno]

Ah, I see what you are saying. Not being used to this kind of thinking he was overwhelmed by the response of users, I can see that being the case. However, I always assumed that a lot of the **** he got was some kind of "meme" or viral phenomenon for lack of a better word. Anyway, I came in contact with this whole thing after the fact and never played the game or whined to the developer myself.

Exactly. It's just a theory my friend and based on my experience I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It seems to fit with him rethinking it after letting it soak in.

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If it helps, I agree with you.

I do too.

 

[Zellio]

If he really shied away from publicity, then why do an interview with Rolling Stone, one of the largest and most famous publications in the world?

Fact is we may never know: with the increased exposure, he shall make a massive amount of money the moment the app goes back on sale... And at this point his decision making process is no doubt skewed by tremendous commercial incentive.

Next he'll be on entertainment tonight, ranting about the media and how people give him too much attention. Maybe he'll also become a speaker one day, standing up in front of thousands of people to talk about how all the exposure and people saying bad things like widdle meanies on a forum hurt him. And all the noobs will say he has morals and is leaving because of all the big meanies... While they sit in a crowd of thousands. :roll eyes:

Oh, and seats will be $100 each, you know, for the benefit of the Dong morals.

 

[fallenjt]

Epic marketing haha. Reminds me of New Coke lol awesome

Yup, but not in the smart way because it's cooling down and no one remembers it. This reminds me of Napster before which was a fever peer-to-peer sharing, but after getting shut down, no one used it after it comes back months later. People move on quickly on tech nowadays, so if you have opportunity to make something so successful, seize it or it's gone forever. In this case, sorry Nguyen, your chance has passed.
BTW, only dumbass would give up $50k a day opportunity for school (who needs to go to school anymore?). Learn from Steve Job and Bill Gate, my friend.

 

[bhags8]

simply money issue. guy couldn't resist that money. no one can.
now he repents from it and wanted to come back.

He hasn't stopped getting the money. This is all marketing. Brilliant really.

 

[Tech198]

Good news looks like..

But in relation to the "reason why re removed it" didn't he not want fame, fortune ?

That's what everyone wants, it just so happened he didn't expect a flood of it, regardless of who good the money.

Besides, i if i was as popular as this with an app, the LAST thing i would do is crawl into a gutter and upset everyone at the same time..

Health reasons, or whatever else aside...... i still stand by this...

Besides, why take it down, only to probably put it back anyway just because your getting pressure that people want it ? Of course they do, they always did had it been left up this whole 'escapade' wouldn't have happened.

 

[AXs]

I can imagine what he's going through.

Think about it, one day he's another Joe using his laptop and doing normal things living a normal life.

Suddenly, a few days later and this guy is the most famous app developer in the world. He's getting paparazzi in his house, people are harassing him- bad parents are blaming him for their child's failures.

That's kind of hard to swallow when it happens overnight.

I can't imagine being me- my normal self, then suddenly from tomorrow onwards there will be paparazzi following me everywhere as soon as I leave my house till I get to my office, and so on.

That's just messed up imo. Props to the man for valuing privacy, which so often goes underrated.

 

[Bobby Corwen]

If he does bring it back it would be epic if he brought back the more recent non "polished" version which is easier now with the hi-res pipes.

The original version was notorious for having ridiculously sensitive collision detection which only added to the feeling of paranoia and imperative doom at any moment because even when it seemed like you hit the angle right it still dies and it makes you have to be extra flawless in your flight path.

The new one is too easy and smooth which I actually view as a detraction.

 

[lulumink]

He hasn't stopped getting the money. This is all marketing. Brilliant really.

He is. But look at the app store now. It's piled with Flappy bird equivalents.
His earnings are gonna suffer a bit no doubt.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

We all know (or know of) people who were ruined by wealth. It doesn't require a master's thesis to point out.

Sure, but I wasn't denying that, but rather money's effect on people is highly individualized. Your original post wants to lump everyone in the same pile. That's plain wrong factually. (See Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, & maybe your neighbor. Since you like to read newspaper stories of lottery winning ruining lives try also reading a book like The Millionaire Next Door.

 

[TWSS37]

Pretty much yes. It's called good parenting in the information age.

Logs on my modem show all visited sites.

No cellular access only WiFi.

Shared iTunes account with auto download setup.

Random checks on iDevices.

Talk to kids to make sure they know what is expected of them.

More spot checks.

No social, anonymous sharing apps.

So far. All is clean. Been checking at random unexpected times when they had no idea I would find them. Grab device, check all histories etc.

They are getting older now and have had an excellent track record. Now I'm starting to transition the responsibility over to them and loosening the controls.

They know they are accountable and they act accordingly.

It has been a lot of work, but what is more important than being a parent that is there and actively parenting? What's more important than taking the time to talk to your kids and understand what they are doing and to let them know what you expect of them.

And we wonder why kids have astronomical levels of anxiety and paranoia these days.

 

[Shrink]

Pretty much yes. It's called good parenting in the information age.

Logs on my modem show all visited sites.

No cellular access only WiFi.

Shared iTunes account with auto download setup.

Random checks on iDevices.

Talk to kids to make sure they know what is expected of them.

More spot checks.

No social, anonymous sharing apps.

So far. All is clean. Been checking at random unexpected times when they had no idea I would find them. Grab device, check all histories etc.

They are getting older now and have had an excellent track record. Now I'm starting to transition the responsibility over to them and loosening the controls.

They know they are accountable and they act accordingly.

It has been a lot of work, but what is more important than being a parent that is there and actively parenting? What's more important than taking the time to talk to your kids and understand what they are doing and to let them know what you expect of them.

And we wonder why kids have astronomical levels of anxiety and paranoia these days.

Please explain what in the phillipduran quote above would lead to "astronomical levels of anxiety and paranoia".

My take on it is that the parent is appropriately supervising the children in their use of electronic devices...but I'm interested in how the supervision outlined leads to "astronomical levels of anxiety and paranoia".

 

[nia820]

the guy removed it from google play and the app store because he wanted more attention towards so when he brings it back people will download it. ugh im so tired of this flappy bird chaos.

 

[0098386]

I really respect this guy.

The fact that the Macrumors community so strenuously disagrees with me is maybe a sign that I don't belong here anymore.

Completely agree. Speaking from a developer POV I can completely understand why he did it. I've tried to explain but folk think everyone works the same way they do and it's rather sad.

 

[jenniferfarah]

download flappy bird for free

In case anyone still wants to play the ORIGINAL Flappy Bird for free even though the creator, Dong Nguyen, has removed it from app stores, I've uploaded the .apk here for FREE download (100% working with NO ADS).
Download it for FREE here: http://topfiles.me/1svaQWfGad
Just enter your email address or something like that if asked for download and unsubcribe later.