Flappy Bird is making a comeback

Flappy Bird, the iconic mobile game that once took the world by storm, is set to return in 2025, according to a group calling themselves "The Flappy Bird Foundation Group". The group is planning to relaunch Flappy Bird on both Android and iOS platforms.

This announcement comes nearly a decade after the game was pulled from app stores by its creator, Dong Nguyen, following its meteoric rise in popularity. However, Nguyen's involvement in the relaunch remains unclear. Nguyen took down Flappy Bird in 2014 citing the game's overwhelming success as a source of personal stress, but has not commented on the revival. His social media accounts and the website for his game development company have been inactive, with no recent updates. According to The Flappy Bird Foundation Group, the rights to Flappy Bird were acquired from Gametech, LLC, a company not directly associated with Nguyen.

After Flappy Bird's sudden disappearance in 2014, app stores were flooded with clones attempting to replicate its addictive gameplay. At the time, Nguyen had hinted at the possibility of a relaunch, but Apple's App Store policies may have prevented him from reclaiming the game's title. According to the rules, once a developer removes an app, they forfeit the rights to its name, allowing other developers to claim it.

The revived Flappy Bird is set to introduce a range of updates, including new game modes, characters, and "massive multiplayer challenges." Early previews on the revamped Flappy Bird website hint at a "rivals" mode, where players can compete against 99 others in a bid to stay aloft the longest. Another mode introduces a quirky twist, requiring players to shoot birds through basketball hoops. Additionally, players can look forward to new characters joining the iconic flapping bird, including "Peng" the penguin and "Quirky," a colourful bird with a rainbow mohawk.