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Peter Cohen
If you haven't grabbed Flappy Bird from the App Store yet and you're wondering what all the fuss is about, you better grab it soon. Developer Dong Nguyen says that he's done with all the attention the app is getting and he's pulling it offline within the next 24 hours.
Nguyen, through his Twitter account, said that he's done with Flappy Bird. The game inexplicably rose to the top of the App Store charts after word got out about it - the simple gameplay has you navigate a bird through a maze of pipes by tapping the screen to flap its wings. Each flap makes the bird rise, and the challenge is in keeping the bird from hitting the pipes above or below with each flap.
Nguyen rejects claims that he's run into legal problems with the game - critics say that Flappy Bird's art looks like it's been copied from Super Mario World. Others have criticized the game for being insanely difficult - only true masters are able to get double, or even low triple digit scores.
Despite its free price tag, in-game advertising has scored Nguyen $50,000 a day in revenue, according to an interview the developer offered to The Verge. Our own Rene Ritchie calls the game's viral spread an example of "rage-of-mouth" marketing. (If you want tips on how to do better at Flappy Bird, we've got 'em.)
Nguyen says he won't sell Flappy Bird to another developer, but that he's still in the game business, so if you haven't smashed your phone to bits yet, something's bound to replace Flappy Bird soon.
Meantime, let me know — do you really think we've seen the last of Flappy Bird, and will you miss it?
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