Flappy Bird was removed after it became ‘addictive’

Creator intended for players to spend only a few minutes at a time

There’s been substantial speculation as to why the creator of mobile sensation Flappy Bird would pull his game while it was still growing in popularity and, reportedly, earning him an average of $50,000 in daily ad revenue. Speaking to Forbes, Dong Nguyen has explained his reasoning.

“Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed,” he said. “But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it’s best to take down Flappy Bird. It’s gone forever.”

And for those who think the decision was made in haste, Nguyen went on to say “I don’t think it’s a mistake. I have thought it through.” Before pulling the game, he said he “couldn’t sleep,” adding “my life has not been as comfortable as I was before.”

Not that any of this will curb the conspiracy theories, but, it’s not unreasonable to say there are more important things than money. It sounds to me like Nguyen was caught off guard when Flappy Bird went viral. He’s walked away from it, but won’t stop making games. “After the success of Flappy Bird, I feel more confident, and I have freedom to do what I want to do.”

Exclusive: Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen Says App ‘Gone Forever’ Because It Was ‘An Addictive Product’ [Forbes]