After ten years without any version of Flappy Bird available on the app store or the web, fans of the groundbreaking game were excited by the announcement of its return. The Flappy Bird Foundation, team of “passionate fans committed to sharing the game with the world” will develop this new version of the game. It is predicted to release on desktop and mobile browsers this fall, and on app stores in 2025.
Along with new additions to the original game, The Flappy Bird Foundation is involving Flappy Bird in cryptocurrency by partnering with $FLAP, a crypto coin launcher.
When asked about the game’s revival and The Flappy Bird Foundation’s involvement with cryptocurrency, Nguyen responded with a tweet directly disparaging and their pursuits.
Many commenters on The Flappy Bird Foundation’s promotional posts were hesitant to support the game’s revival after clarification from Nguyen. In response to backlash, The Flappy Bird Foundation posted a tweet attempting to “clear the air” regarding its copyright controversy.
The post provides an explanation for their acquirement of Flappy Bird’s trademark and the rights to Piou Piou vs Cactus, a game that they believe heavily inspired the original Flappy Bird. In a screenshot featured in the post, Kek, the developer of Piou Piou vs Cactus is quoted saying “I love that through the Flappy Bird Foundation we are able to breathe new life into the games I built and inspired. It’s incredible to work alongside such a dedicated team of fans and creators who are truly passionate.”
In a more recent tweet, The Flappy Bird Foundation addressed their involvement with NFTs in a series of statements.
While NFTs are out of the picture, this does not necessarily exclude cryptocurrency, and it appears likely that The Flappy Bird Foundation will release a Flappy Bird token following their “free mining event” referred to as the Flap-A-TON.
Users must download Telegram to play. Once the app is open, they will be “prompted to connect a TON wallet in exchange for in-game point,” according to Decrypt. “This is the first step that any game that is planning a token launch and airdrop must take—so that players can eventually claim their tokens.”
Telegram is a somewhat controversial medium in and of itself, largely due to the arrest and subsequent release of its CEO, Pavel Durov. Currently, Telegram is the only platform where Flappy Bird is up and playable, although the developers still intend to release the game on browsers and in the app store.