Flappy Bird was a game that thrived on simplicity, yet it left an unforgettable mark on the gaming community. If you’ve ever had a go at it, the mechanics are etched in your memory. To refresh those who haven’t, the concept was straightforward: you controlled a bird, navigating it from left to right, avoiding green, pipe-like obstacles reminiscent of those in Mario. The controls were equally simple—tap the screen to ascend and stop tapping to descend. That was the entire premise.

Initially, not even its creator, Dong Nguyen, foresaw the game’s meteoric rise to fame. Yet, in a surprising twist of fate, Flappy Bird soared to the top of app store charts globally in 2014, becoming a cultural icon. The game’s ascent was as swift as its descent; players soon grew frustrated with its challenging nature and the overnight success it brought to Nguyen. The backlash was swift and intense, prompting Nguyen to make the unprecedented decision to pull the game from app stores at the height of its popularity.

In this edition of Version History, we revisit the narrative of Flappy Bird with David Pierce, Jake Kastrenakes, and Stephen Totilo from Game File. They explore the game’s humble beginnings, its inexplicable surge to fame, the wave of imitations it spawned, and the controversy that forever altered Nguyen’s life. Both Totilo and The Verge play significant roles in this saga, prompting reflection and perhaps accountability. While the tale of Flappy Bird technically continues, as versions of the game still exist, its story effectively concluded almost as abruptly as it began.

If you’re interested in following Version History, there are two convenient ways to access each episode as soon as it’s released:

And for those eager to revisit the Flappy Bird phenomenon, even though the original game is no longer available, here are some resources to help you dive back into its story: