Flappy Bird’s alleged crypto reboot disputed by original creator

Dong Nguyen, the creator of viral mobile game Flappy Bird, has denied allegations that he is involved in the reboot of the game, which has alleged links to crypto and web3.

Flappy Bird was a simple yet addictive mobile game that took the internet by storm in 2013. It was downloaded over 90 million times and was generating $50,000 a day in ad revenue at its peak.

Created by Dong Nguyen, the game’s meteoric rise to fame was almost as rapid as its abrupt demise, when Nguyen removed the game from app stores citing concerns about its addictive nature. Fast forward a decade, and Flappy Bird is making headlines again—this time wrapped up in a controversy that has even its original creator stepping in to set the record straight.

Last year, the firm behind the foundation, Gametech Holdings LLC, filed an opposition to Nguyen’s Flappy Bird trademark and claimed Nguyen had given it up, a Forbes report dated September 12. In January, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) sided with Gametech, ending Nguyen’s claim to the trademark.

Ngyuen’s response comes after the foundation announced plans to republish Flappy Bird, claiming they had purchased the legal rights and hinting that they would be collaborating with the original creator.

Nguyen called out the Flappy Bird Foundation in an X post dated September 15, stating that he did not sell any rights to the foundation and was not involved with their projects, adding, “I do not support crypto.”

Undisclosed ties to crypto

According to a report by cybersecurity researcher Varun Biniwale, some hidden pages on the Flappy Bird Foundation’s website contain clues that crypto elements are planned to be integrated into the game.

Although the pages have been deleted, there were mentions of features like the “$FLAP token” and a “play-to-earn” model, a “Web 3.0” version of the game on the Solana blockchain. There were also references to staking mechanisms, free airdrops, and a “flap-to-earn” event exclusively for Telegram users.

Flappy Bird loading screen hints at Hue-based cryptocurrency ‘Flap’ | Source: Varun Biniwale

Biniwale also revealed an already active leaderboard system featuring the names and scores of several crypto influencers, hinting that the game may be available as part of a closed early release. Some of these influencers reportedly follow the game’s X page.

This discovery led to speculation that the game’s revival may be using Flappy Bird’s nostalgic appeal to promote crypto-related offerings. Biniwale described the project as “suspicious” and speculated that it quietly aims to “monetize cryptocurrency and Web3 integration.”

The game comes at a time when the crypto space is experiencing a surge in blockchain-based games, particularly on Telegram and its associated blockchain, The Open Network (TON). The messaging app has become fertile ground for “tap-to-win” games like Hamster Kombat and NotCoin, which have taken the crypto community by storm.