How A Viral Game Vanished Overnight | Flappy Bird

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Flappy Bird accidentally became the biggest game of 2014 and was on its way to becoming one of the most successful games of all time. Until one day, it all just disappeared, leaving many people scratching their heads, demanding an explanation.

The thing is, they never really got one.

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[nationsquid]

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[jojomations]

Flappy Bird lasted only 2 weeks?! It felt much longer back in high school

[JamesR]

11:09 Hey Apple, Google, Mobile Game Devs, Mobile App Devs. THIS. THIS is how you do ads. THIS is what "ads" should be in the digital world. Minimal; enough to maybe get your attention for a moment, but NOT interrupt anything. It works into the subconscious instead of actively demanding your attention and pissing people off.

[poweroffriendship.]

_"Flappy Bird -- a game I used to own, but then I lost my temper and now, I need a new phone."_

The Flappy Bird rap that came out on Vine will always be in my memory.

[kailomonkey]

You forgot to mention one important thing about Flappy Bird's gameplay, or the world has forgotten. The bird had a horrible hitbox making it harder and more frustrating than it appeared it should be. I seriously think this is a major contributing factor to the game's viral success.

[RandmHero]

Flappy Bird, Temple Run, OG Angry Birds, and Fruit Ninja. The four pillars of mobile games to get through study hall when I was in highschool

[LendriMujina]

It's kind of hilarious that Nintendo has such a (well-earned) reputation for being heartless copyright predators that they often have to go "Hey, we _swear_ this one wasn't us this time!"

[kns]

I miss the era when apps were a novelty. Apps and mobile games were so new and “there’s an app for that” was the culture lol.
Now apps are second nature. I can’t even remember the last time I opened the App Store to just download games

[shreya...]

12:39
"I cannot take this anymore."
Damn, that was harsh. Poor guy.

[BischyTube]

I still have this game, on my most recent phone. Which was released years after it vanished from the Google play store. If you've downloaded it before, you can find the game on your apps list. It's very nostalgic.
This game will stay with me forever.

[henryfleischer]

"your iphone is more powerful than the computers that put us on the moon in 1969" So is my dad's old Apple //C. I'd be shocked if the Atari 2600 wasn't more powerful than the Apollo guidance computer.

[humanthetooth]

Including the app store's old interface and iphones of the time period was a nice touch. i appreciate you taking the time to do so

[abishek]

Missed opportunity to call the video "How A Viral Game Flapped Away From Existance"

[StelBoy]

The case of Flappy Bird is just another reason for me to hate video game journalists. They scolded the guy for making the game, & then they did it again when he took it down because god forbid someone puts their own mental health over a game.

[candberrykorn]

I thought bro was going back to the 1700's to explain flappy bird

[hammerrox]

There wasn't a single person in my high school that wasn't playing this game during its peak in January 2014. EVERYONE was obsessed in trying to beat not only their own high scores, but the high scores of everyone else. Even though Apple stopped supporting 32-bit apps in 2017, Flappy Bird lasted on my iPhone until 2021 when I finally decided to delete it. What a wild ride it was - thanks for the memories!

[snowpeck]

I still have it on my phone. The official, original Android version, not a remake or some sideloaded thing. I downloaded it when it was out and never uninstalled it. Every time I get a new phone, I always back up my apps and so I keep taking it from phone to phone. It just kind of hangs out there on my apps menu like a relic of the past. I recently tried it and it does still work somehow.

[Someguyhere]

I really think it was largely the joke of "This game is so frustrating you'll throw your phone" that helped it get as popular as it did. People hear about a simple arcade game that enduces that much rage, they gotta check it out, and even if it doesn't make them THAT angry, it's fun to overreact whenever you lose and playact rage quitting.

[PhantomHouseplant]

Iconic time. I was in the 6th grade and I also remember everyone talking about the game, crowding around the tables at lunch and screaming about everyones high score. I remember when this one kid named Chase had the highest score in the whole school

[code_circuit]

Dude, You are SO underrated! Your documentaries are so high quality and help me understand so many things!