### The Comeback of *Flappy Bird*: A Crypto-Powered Return or a Legal Seizure?
Followers of the immensely popular mobile game *Flappy Bird* were taken aback when the developer, Dong Nguyen, suddenly pulled the game from the iOS App Store in 2014. Now, a decade later, the game reemerges unexpectedly, albeit amidst controversy. This latest iteration of *Flappy Bird* introduces a slew of new characters, gameplay modes, and, crucially, a significant link to the cryptocurrency space. Nonetheless, this revival isn’t the brainchild of Nguyen, who has openly distanced himself from the endeavor. Instead, it seems to be the outcome of a lengthy legal dispute by a crypto-oriented game developer aiming to assert ownership over the *Flappy Bird* name.
### The Initial *Flappy Bird* and Its Abrupt Vanishing
*Flappy Bird* was an uncomplicated yet captivating mobile game that captivated audiences worldwide in the early part of 2014. The concept was simple: players tapped the screen to navigate a bird through a series of pipes without colliding. Despite its straightforward nature, the game achieved worldwide acclaim, accumulating millions of downloads. However, the game’s creator, Dong Nguyen, found its success distressing, particularly due to its addictive quality.
In a 2014 interview, Nguyen detailed his choice to withdraw the game from app stores: “*Flappy Bird* was intended for brief play during moments of relaxation. But it inadvertently became addictive. I believe this has turned into a dilemma. To address that dilemma, it’s best to remove *Flappy Bird*. It’s gone for good.”
Or so we believed.
### A Prolonged Legal Saga
Jump ahead to 2024, and *Flappy Bird* is back—but no longer under Nguyen’s authority. So, how did an alternate company manage to introduce a game under the *Flappy Bird* branding without his consent? The solution lies in a complicated legal path that dates back nearly ten years.
In late 2023, a firm named Gametech Holdings submitted a “notice of opposition” to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) against Nguyen, aiming to nullify his claim to the *Flappy Bird* trademark. When Nguyen, residing in Vietnam, did not respond to the notice, the USPTO issued a default ruling against him in January 2024, effectively annulling his trademark. This paved the way for Gametech to rightfully assert the *Flappy Bird* title.
However, Gametech’s attempts to secure the *Flappy Bird* trademark appear to have commenced much earlier. In 2014, merely days after Nguyen withdrew the game from the App Store, a firm named Mobile Media Partners submitted a trademark application for *Flappy Bird*. Notably, the New Jersey address noted by Mobile Media Partners in that 2014 application corresponds with the address used by Gametech Holdings in its 2023 legal documentation. This implies that the two organizations may be linked and that the campaign to claim the *Flappy Bird* name has been in progress for nearly a decade.
In 2018, the USPTO awarded Mobile Media Partners the *Flappy Bird* trademark, a detail that Gametech referenced in its favorable 2023 opposition to Nguyen’s usage of the mark. Gametech subsequently transferred the trademark to a newly established entity known as the Flappy Bird Foundation, which is currently leading the game’s revival efforts.
### The Crypto Link: $FLAP-py Bird?
The Flappy Bird Foundation has made ambitious assertions regarding its dedication to safeguarding the *Flappy Bird* intellectual property and extending its legacy. The organization assures that the game will be “100% FREE TO PLAY and always will be,” with a functional version already accessible on the messaging app Telegram. Native mobile releases are anticipated to debut in 2025.
Nonetheless, despite its seemingly altruistic name, multiple indications reveal that the new *Flappy Bird* is closely woven with the cryptocurrency sector. Michael Roberts, credited as the “chief creative behind *Flappy Bird*’s revival,” has a significant background in Web3 ventures. Roberts serves as the Head of Studio for 1208 Productions, a mobile game developer that touts itself as a “trailblazer in the Web3 realm.”
The new *Flappy Bird* looks to be a component of a larger initiative to merge the game with blockchain technology. A now-removed page on the FlappyBird.org site made several mentions of Web3 and cryptocurrencies, guaranteeing that *Flappy Bird* would “soar higher than ever on Solana as it ascends into Web 3.0.” The page also indicated plans to enable players to “build, play, and earn” from the game, hinting that the new *Flappy Bird* will incorporate some form of play-to-earn mechanics, potentially involving NFTs or crypto tokens.
Web developer
