Flappy Bird creator says game was "addictive product"

Flappy Bird has flown the coop, and its developer has revealed just why the app is no more.

In an apparently hush-hush and exclusive interview with Forbes, 29-year-old Dong Nguyen blamed the app's addictive nature for its early departure.

"Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed," Nguyen said. "But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it's best to take down Flappy Bird. It's gone forever."

Nguyen also revealed that he couldn't sleep after unleashing the iOS app that scored more than 50 million downloads and earned $50,000 per day in ad revenue. On Saturday, the developer tweeted that he would kill Flappy Bird, saying that "I cannot take this anymore." And on Sunday, he made good on his promise.

A flock of Flappy Bird clones has since swooped into the App Store, but Nguyen said he probably won't file legal action against them. And although his addictive app is gone, Nguyen will likely continue to pop up, telling Forbes that he will keep developing games.

This article originally appeared on CNET under the headline "RIP, Flappy Bird. You were too addictive, creator says."


f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.