Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen Denies Involvement in GameFi Relaunch

Dong Nguyen refutes any connection to a "Flappy Bird" GameFi relaunch after years of silence on social media.

Dong Nguyen, the elusive creator of the hit mobile game Flappy Bird, has resurfaced to deny his involvement in the latest GameFi project linked to his iconic title. In his first social media appearance since 2017, Nguyen disavowed any connection to a relaunch of Flappy Bird as a GameFi product, pushing back against recent claims surrounding the game’s return to the spotlight.

Back in 2014, Flappy Bird took the world by storm with its simple yet highly addictive gameplay, where players controlled a bird navigating between pipes. Despite its success, Nguyen controversially removed the game from app stores, citing concerns about its addictive nature and the stress of overnight fame. The withdrawal led to a surge in the black market sale of phones with the game still installed. Additionally, allegations that the game borrowed art from *Super Mario Bros.* added to the creator’s discomfort.

Fast forward to today, Flappy Bird is at the center of a fresh controversy. Last year, Gametech Holdings argued that Nguyen had abandoned the *Flappy Bird* trademark, allowing them to move forward with their own plans to relaunch the game. The U.S. trademark court sided with Gametech in Nguyen's absence, granting them control of the trademark.

However, in a GameFi twist, cybersecurity researcher Varun Biniwale uncovered suspicious deleted pages on the game's website that referenced blockchain platforms like Solana and TON, as well as the introduction of a $FLAP token. This "Flap-to-Earn" mode appeared to promise players the chance to earn tokens while playing, marking the game's entry into the burgeoning world of play-to-earn gaming. The discovery ignited speculation that Flappy Bird was being relaunched as a GameFi product without Nguyen's knowledge or consent.

Michael Roberts, a developer connected to the project, hinted that more details about the relaunch would be forthcoming. However, several community members quickly clarified that the game’s rights had been taken from Nguyen due to his inactivity and that he had no involvement in the new project.

The recent relaunch effort and subsequent denial by Nguyen underscore the complexities surrounding the ownership and revival of popular games in the evolving blockchain landscape.

photo source / Blockonome