Flappy Bird's Wings Clipped Forever(?)

Last May, game developer Dong Nguyen released a simple mobile tap game featuring a little cartoon bird navigating through Super Mario-esque green pipes. Over the next eight months, that little cartoon bird soared to fame and fortune, bringing Nguyen and Vietnam-based .GEARS Studios along for the ride. The free app called Flappy Bird has been voted the top app at Google Play and Apple's App Store over the last month, accumulating 50 million downloads since its release and earning a reported $50,000 per day in advertising revenue. Then — out of nowhere — came word that Flappy Bird was done flying. On Saturday, much to the chagrin of Flappy fans the world over, Nguyen announced via Twitter that he would be taking the game down:

I am sorry 'Flappy Bird' users, 22 hours from now, I will take 'Flappy Bird' down. I cannot take this anymore.

— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014

Nguyen went on to eliminate from speculation one possible reason for the app's abrupt departure:

It is not anything related to legal issues. I just cannot keep it anymore. — Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014

  He also made it clear he has no plans to sell the Flappy franchise:

I also don't sell 'Flappy Bird', please don't ask. — Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014

  ...and assured fans he isn't giving up on being a game developer:

And I still make games. — Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) February 8, 2014

  I don't get it. Dong, buddy. Be reasonable. You're making $50 grand a day on bouncing little cluster of pixels that (sort of) resembles a bird-ish creature. Why not just let Flappy fly and collect the advertising paychecks? This whole thing just doesn’t seem to add up. I doubt we’ve heard the last of Dong Nguyen and Flappy Bird.   Image via: Google