Key Takeaways
- The original Flappy Bird game closed down in February 2014 after peaking at over 90 million downloads.
- Over 1 million players joined the Telegram beta release of Flappy Bird.
- The Flappy Bird Foundation intends to expand the IP beyond mobile gaming.
Mobile gaming’s legendary addictive game, Flappy Bird, is making yet another comeback after failing to launch on Telegram with a play-to-earn (P2E) title, and is now planning a full Web3 gaming expansion.
It arrives as several other gaming franchises bid to revive iconic titles with Web3 features and tech backing them.
Flappy Bird Returns
According to a blog post from the Flappy Bird Foundation, which purchased the game’s intellectual property (IP) rights last year, the game officially returned to mobile through the Epic Games Mobile Store after a decade-long hiatus, and it’s heading for Web3.
Now, it’s time to take things a step further and launch Flappy Bird as a competitive Web3 game.
Though details are sparse on how it will operate or what Web3 mechanisms will be implemented, the foundation places great emphasis on it being a community-driven effort. The blog writes:
“We plan to continue to create real ways for the community to contribute, collaborate and shape the future of the Flappy Bird universe.”
The news comes shortly after Flappy Bird attempted a Telegram mini-app beta launch called “Flap-a-TON”. It was a resounding success with over 1 million players joining the beta release. Its launch came in collaboration with the tap-to-earn game, Notcoin, and Flappy Bird was supposedly set to launch with its own token.
The project was publicly disavowed by its original creator, Dong Nguyen, who disliked the crypto integration. Notably, Nguyen was the one to take Flappy Bird off app stores back in 2014, citing concerns over the game being too addictive.
However, the Telegram version ended its “mining phase” and ceased producing points for player rewards, and officially shut down with its promised token launch now shelved. The team then shifted its focus to launching a Web2-only mobile version of the game.
Level Up
As per the blog, Flappy Bird’s Telegram experiment yielded interesting responses from the community, who want to see a story, new characters, digital collectibles, personalization, and other features added to the game.
But, the team is aware that the ‘Web3’ label isn’t to everyone’s liking, and explains that for Flappy Bird fans old and new that “want to flap on” without Web3, the foundation will “always provide” players plenty of traditional games and experiences to offer.
Flappy Bird’s foray into blockchain gaming comes as several other major gaming franchises launch into Web3 this year; most notably, MapleStory N and Ragnarok Landverse Genesis.
Then, there are upcoming titles such as Might & Magic: Fates and EVE Frontier, which have great potential to tap into mainstream videogame audiences.
Some Web3 games will be heavy on the blockchain, meaning that NFT interactions and holding crypto are necessary to play. And others are opting to make it an optional part of the experience that bears no impact on gameplay or competitive outcomes.
The Flappy Bird foundation says that it will reveal more details about the Web3 elements in the coming weeks, and that it will be listening to the players and “staying true” to the iconic pixel-perfect charm of the original game whilst expanding and introducing new features.
Eddie is a gaming and crypto writer at CCN. Covering the often weird and wonderful world of Web3 with an adoring, but skeptical eye.
Prior to CCN, Eddie has spent the past seven years working his way through the crypto, finance, and technology industry. He began with PR and journalism with Bitcoin PR Buzz and BitcoinNews.com, eventually working his way to become a copywriter with a dozen firms, including the likes of Polkadot before returning to journalism in 2023.
Having studied Radio production and journalism at University in the UK, Eddie spent a few years making podcasts and presenting on a local London radio station as he built up his writing chops.
A lifelong skateboarder, Eddie can often be found at the skatepark or touring the streets looking for something new to try. That, or kicking back playing JRPGs on his original PSP.
