• The Flappy Bird Foundation released a statement after a wave of criticism arguing that they are the true successors of the original game.

  • News that Flappy Bird was being rebooted as a GameFi title caused its creator to come out of social media retirement to criticize the effort and GameFi.

The announcement that the 2013 mobile game Flappy Bird is making a comeback over a decade later as a GameFi title on Telegram was met with such a negative backlash from the gaming community so much so that it caused the game's creator, Dong Nguyen, to break a seven-year vow of social media silence to distance himself from the effort.

No, I have no related with their game. I did not sell anything. I also don't support crypto.

— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) September 15, 2024

But the Foundation that's spearheading the effort doesn't think this sort of characterization as GameFi grifters is fair.

The Flappy Bird Foundation is a team of passionate fans of the Flappy Bird game published in 2013. "After the game was pulled from stores in 2014, like many others, we found ourselves unable to stop thinking about the game," the group said in an emailed statement.

The Flappy Bird trademark was abandoned following the game's takedown, and the Foundation filed for its revival, they explained.

In 2018, a firm called Mobile Media Partners secured the trademark, which was later acquired by Gametech Holdings, LLC, in 2021, from whom the Foundation acquired it from in August 2024.

The foundation said its role is to be "the steward of the Flappy Bird IP and ecosystem."

It also says it has brought on Kek, the developer of Piou Piou vs Cactus, a game which is believed Flappy Bird is based on given the similarities between the two as a developer while also securing the rights to this game.

"I love that through the Flappy Bird Foundation we are able to breathe new life into the games I built and inspired," Kek said in a statement. "It’s incredible to work alongside such a dedicated team of fans and creators who are truly passionate."

Flappy Bird is available now on Telegram as a TON mini-game, and a token launch is expected soon.