Flappy Bird reboot Flappy Bird reboot
Flappy Bird has returned, but there are concerns about the supposed "shady" aspects of the game's reboot that came with a crypto landing. Flappy Bird X Video/Screenshot

KEY POINTS

  • Nguyen returned to X after seven years to clarify that he isn't part of the team rebooting Flappy Bird
  • TOP and Notcoin are backing the relaunched game, which is available on Telegram as a Web3 mini app
  • Some observers have said the reboot appears to be a 'shady project'

A decade after original creator Dong Nguyen pulled iconic mobile game Flappy Bird from PlayStore and the App Store, the title returned as a Web3 mini app on Telegram, but not without issues.

Flappy Bird took the mobile world by storm when the casual game first emerged in 2013. It was a global sensation that left many players heartbroken when Nguyen killed the game, saying it has ruined his "simple life."

Reboot from a New Team

For starters, the Flappy Bird reboot was not Nguyen's idea. The Vietnamese programmer clarified Sunday that he is not related to the team that re-launched Flappy Bird. He also made it clear that he doesn't support crypto. His last post on X was way back in 2017.

The Flappy Bird Foundation, a team of "fans committed to sharing the game with the world," revealed that it acquired the official trademark from Gametech Holdings LLC, an American company that appears to have taken the trademark from Nguyen.

Game designer @SamNChiet said it appears Gametech "filed against him [Nguyen] and just grabbed it [trademark] for free" since the trademark was "considered abandoned."

"The decade-long mission involved acquiring legal rights and even working with my predecessor to uncage me and re-hatch the official Flappy Bird® game!" the team behind the reboot wrote on X last week.

The game's original creator has yet to clarify in detail how the trademark was acquired.

The Open Platform (TOP), a venture builder on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, revealed early Tuesday that it is an investor in the reboot.

Crypto Links...or Not?

Flappy Bird's controversial return comes with the "Flap-a-TON" event in partnership with Notcoin, which merges gaming with blockchain technology.

According to the game's Telegram handle, users can crack open daily eggs and earn points for their flock. Prominent coder Varun Biniwale published screenshots of the rebooted Flappy Bird's website, which alluded to a "Flap Token" on TON.

Polygon noted that the said information has been removed from the website, with any mention of cryptocurrency being "scrubbed." Biniwale believes the reboot "absolutely" has Web3 and crypto roots. On the other hand, he also noted that it "seems" as if the new Flappy Bird is "a somewhat shady project with the goal of capitalizing off the nostalgic appeal of a beloved game while quietly aiming to make money from cryptocurrency and Web3 integration."

X Users React to Comeback

Many X users are doubtful about the project's comeback process, with most pointing out that it seemed like a "scam." One user said the "NFTs/crypto related stuff aren't visible," and it "honestly feels like your typical mobile cash grab."

Others were frustrated over Nguyen not being part of the reboot team.

On the other hand, some users embraced Flappy Bird's re-hatching, with one user noting that people who don't like the reboot should stay away from the game and let others enjoy the "epic" game.