[Editorial] Why Flappy Bird was taken down

[Macktion]

There has been a lot of speculation about why Flappy Bird, a very successful game would be removed after such amazing success:

[video=youtube_share;xW-iYkMnGfs]http://youtu.be/xW-iYkMnGfs[/video]​

Perhaps in the future I will get an interview with Dong Nguyen and have the complete story.

 

[johnomaz]

It happened for money. Suddenly a bit of controversy surrounded this app and everyone had to have it. The guy is making 50K a day from the ad revenue alone, probably more now that there was a mad rush to download it.

 

[akhenax]

Exactly. His PR agent told him to take it down temporarily so as to drum up media surrounding it. 50K per day? That's gotta nice ring to it.

 

[Macktion]

It happened for money.

While I can see where you are coming from, I think you are wrong on this. Consider that if you are making 50k/day, by removing his app from the stores, he is missing out on potential additional revenue: because the hype surrounding the game was increasing before the take down, it is reasonable to assume that he would have made more money by NOT removing the app.

...probably more now that there was a mad rush to download it.

That might be the case, HOWEVER, from my (albeit limited) ability to see the analysis of the searches, hits and downloads, a mad-dash to download did not really happen. But then again, I could be wrong.

His PR agent told him to take it down temporarily so as to drum up media surrounding it.

I think you are not taking into account that the effect of removing something viral just makes interest die down. If anything I see this hurting his ability to make money on this game in the future, even if he returns it eventually.

If I may offer another way in which this will harm his overall earnings from this game: Now that it is gone, you will still be able to get it from other venues, places where you get .APK flies. There is little guarantee that these other games claiming to be Flappy Bird, are in fact the real one, but more importantly for this argument; there is no way to know for sure if the ads are not being run into someone else's pocket. I don't have experience with the mobile ad platforms, but is it not reasonable that someone could take the .apk, and modify their own ad account through it? (feel free to correct me if I am wrong on this guys) And we would be none the wiser...

(I'm loving the discussion so far here, let's keep it up)

 

[b-jammin21]

I think you are not taking into account that the effect of removing something viral just makes interest die down.

I don't think I agree with this at all. Something that popular, people want. Especially if they've had a taste of it and now they can't have it. I believe that would increase peoples' desire to have it, and once released, it would "fly off the shelves."

EDIT: Let me also add that I didn't find this game to be that awesome to begin with. Jetpack Joyride is a much more entertaining game. Just a personal review and observation.

 

[Macktion]

I don't think I agree with this at all. Something that popular, people want. Especially if they've had a taste of it and now they can't have it. I believe that would increase peoples' desire to have it, and once released, it would "fly off the shelves."

EDIT: Let me also add that I didn't find this game to be that awesome to begin with. Jetpack Joyride is a much more entertaining game. Just a personal review and observation.

I do agree with you on Jetpack Joyride: I found it much more appealing. And while I think you are correct, I think its only to a point. If he puts it back up in a day or a week, I think you will be correct, (and I will, of course concede that I was probably wrong). But I doubt that the desire generated here has that much staying power. You are right, that Demand has probably increased, however, the great thing about it is that there are other suppliers, the iron is hot, but unless he strikes, it wont be him that gets the revenue.

 

[blacksoxing]

A lot of great success comes off the backs of unknown stars....

I bet dollars that this guy had "help", and the help wants their money

 

[Macktion]

And I hereby acknowledge just how wrong I was:

The developer said in an interview with Forbes:

“Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed,” says Dong Nguyen, in an exclusive interview, his first since he pulled the plug on the app. “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.”

So, apparently its an altruistic thing. That did not occur to me.

Exclusive: Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen Says App 'Gone Forever' Because It Was 'An Addictive Product' - Forbes

 

[b-jammin21]

And I hereby acknowledge just how wrong I was:

The developer said in an interview with Forbes:

So, apparently its an altruistic thing. That did not occur to me.

Exclusive: Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen Says App 'Gone Forever' Because It Was 'An Addictive Product' - Forbes

Sounds like a bunch of crap lol.

What's wrong with an addictive game that makes a lot of money? I didn't know that this was a "problem." Angry birds anyone?

I think there's something deeper than what the dev is communicating. Oh well, I'm off to play Jetpack Joyride. Hopefully they don't take that one down because its fun and addictive...hahaha.

 

[Macktion]

Sounds like a bunch of crap lol.
What's wrong with an addictive game that makes a lot of money? I didn't know that this was a "problem." Angry birds anyone?
I think there's something deeper than what the dev is communicating. Oh well, I'm off to play Jetpack Joyride. Hopefully they don't take that one down because its fun and addictive...hahaha.

While it is definitely odd to us, I do know that many countries place restrictions on games because they are afraid of game addiction. To market Hawken in China, the devs had to make the game restrict the payouts of the games loot and experience system, if you play beyond the government appointed limit.
In Vietnam (where the developer lives) in 2011, their government outlawed online gaming from 10pm to 8am....

Of course this is all on the government side, and its hard to tell if they had some part to play, or perhaps Nguyen is just an equally concerned citizen. Any way you slice it, it is a much more reasonable concern given his country's stance on video game addiction.

 

[b-jammin21]

While it is definitely odd to us, I do know that many countries place restrictions on games because they are afraid of game addiction. To market Hawken in China, the devs had to make the game restrict the payouts of the games loot and experience system, if you play beyond the government appointed limit.
In Vietnam (where the developer lives) in 2011, their government outlawed online gaming from 10pm to 8am....

Of course this is all on the government side, and its hard to tell if they had some part to play, or perhaps Nguyen is just an equally concerned citizen. Any way you slice it, it is a much more reasonable concern given his country's stance on video game addiction.

Good point. I guess I was only using a viewpoint from the good ol' U. S. of A!

 

[Macktion]

B-jammin! Don't let me get away with this THAT easily!