Flappy Bird Returns After a Decade—Now Exclusive to the Epic Games Store on Android

The legendary mobile game Flappy Bird is officially back—ten years after it vanished from app stores at the height of its popularity. This time, the frustratingly addictive title is available exclusively through the mobile Epic Games Store for Android.

The revival isn’t coming from original developer Dong Nguyen but from a new rights holder, "Flappy Bird Publishing," which acquired the trademark after Nguyen allowed it to expire.

Despite the change in ownership, the game’s classic tap-to-fly gameplay remains unchanged, delivering the same pixelated agony fans remember from 2014.

What's New (and What’s Not)

• Gameplay: Identical to the original—simple mechanics and sky-high difficulty.

• Monetization: No price tag. Instead, revenue comes from ads and cosmetic items, such as tiny helmets for the titular bird.

• Web3-Free: The publishers emphasized in their announcement that there will be “no Web3 elements”—a clear rejection of prior attempts to reintroduce Flappy Bird via blockchain and cryptocurrency.

This updated release marks a hard pivot away from past plans to make Flappy Bird an “open-source, community-owned” Web3 project. That idea, initially tied to a Telegram-based crypto version, has been completely abandoned.

Dong Nguyen Not Involved

Original creator Dong Nguyen has no involvement in this new version and isn’t profiting from it.

Nguyen famously removed Flappy Bird from app stores in February 2014 at the peak of its success, citing concerns about its addictiveness and the pressures of fame. Despite its massive following, he chose to walk away—leaving a vacuum quickly filled by low-quality clones.

A Cultural Phenomenon

Released in 2013, Flappy Bird exploded in popularity by early 2014, topping the App Store with over 50 million downloads. Its punishing difficulty, paired with its deceptively simple controls, made it a viral hit—and a source of endless frustration.

Though many clones followed, none captured the unique appeal of Nguyen’s original. This official relaunch now offers players a second chance to relive that chaotic, pipe-dodging experience.

What’s Ahead for 2025

Flappy Bird Publishing says the game will receive new content throughout 2025, including fresh themes, characters, and worlds—all while keeping the core experience intact. No release on iOS has been announced yet.