2013 / Game / Mobile-game phenomenon
Flappy Bird
A one-button bird game became a global hit, then disappeared from app stores at the height of its popularity.
The original is hosted off-site; this page provides context and a link to it.
What was this?
The game was initially quiet, then climbed app-store charts in late 2013 and early 2014. Its difficult timing, simple controls, and comparable high scores made it easy to pick up and hard to put down.
Why it spread
Players shared scores, jokes, challenge videos, and frustrations as the game topped free-app charts. Its removal brought clones and speculation.
What happened
The game was initially quiet, then climbed app-store charts in late 2013 and early 2014. Its difficult timing, simple controls, and comparable high scores made it easy to pick up and hard to put down.
Where it came from
Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen released Flappy Bird through .Gears in May 2013. Players tapped to keep a pixel bird moving through gaps between pipes.
Why it mattered
Flappy Bird showed how quickly a small mobile game could become a shared online event. Its removal also put its creator’s limits at the center of the story.
How it spread
Players shared scores, jokes, challenge videos, and frustrations as the game topped free-app charts. Its removal brought clones and speculation.
Keep going
Related moments
A disastrously translated game line escaped its cutscene and took over the early web.
A raid plan, a plate of chicken, and the loudest possible decision to ignore both.
A $2 fun pass, 500 plays, and a cardboard arcade that got the whole internet in line.
Emergency meeting: a small independent game became a common way to describe suspicion among friends.