What is ‘Flappy Bird’ on Telegram? Iconic Game Returns With Crypto Twist

Flappy Hen is again! And it is a Telegram crypto sport—who’d have thought?

The long-lasting cell sport took the world by storm in 2014, however went darkish after its mysterious creator determined it was gaining an excessive amount of consideration. At its peak, Flappy Hen had attracted 50 million downloads, topped the charts in 100 international locations, and was allegedly raking in $50,000 from advertisements each single day.

When the sport was eliminated, the world went nuts. Units with the sport nonetheless put in had been provided on the market for upwards of $90,000 as folks itched to information the long-lasting cartoon hen safely via an impediment course of Tremendous Mario-style pipes.

That’s why it’s no shock that there’s been appreciable buzz across the revival, which has kicked off first on Telegram with a crypto-fueled mini app. However not everyone seems to be thrilled about the best way that Flappy Hen flew again into our lives. Right here’s the whole lot you want to know.

What’s Flappy Hen on Telegram?

At its core, Flappy Hen on Telegram is an identical to the unique viral cell app. Gamers management a cartoon hen by tapping their display screen in an try and keep away from an impediment course filled with pipes with small openings between them. The additional you go, the extra factors you get.

Beforehand, the sport merely allow you to fly for so long as you might keep away from smashing into pipes, however on this new iteration of the sport—at the least the primary model launched—you’re capped at 50 pipes cleared. When you hit this, you’re taken again to the beginning line.

Developed by the Flappy Hen Basis, the Telegram sport mixes in components from different crypto video games on the app, together with the likes of Hamster Kombat, by permitting gamers to passively earn in-game factors by acquiring upgrades. These are earned via a wide range of methods, together with watching advertisements and welcoming mates. The sport now additionally has a stamina bar, stopping gamers from tapping away all night time.

On the time of writing, it seems that plenty of options aren’t out there but, with one grayed-out tab seen on the menu display screen. On the official Flappy Hen web site, we are able to see plans to introduce a battle royale and basketball mode, alongside recent new characters.

Is there a Flappy Hen token?

For now, a Flappy Hen token has not been confirmed by The Flappy Hen Basis. Nevertheless, they stated that they’ve introduced plans to combine The Open Community (TON)—the community that almost all tap-to-earn video games launch tokens on. Additionally, there are numerous hints that counsel a Flappy Hen token is on the horizon.

Notcoin, the tap-to-earn sport that began the Telegram craze with the largest crypto gaming token launch of the 12 months, is the “strategic publishing accomplice” for Flappy Hen’s return. This partnership is ready to assist introduce The Open Community (TON) ecosystem to Flappy Hen with the sport beginning a “free mining occasion” at launch referred to as “Flap-a-TON.” A mining occasion is often a time period during which gamers could make gameplay progress to get a reduce of a future token airdrop.

The Open Community (TON) is a Telegram-linked community that has been the house for many tap-to-earn video games which have launched to this point in 2024. Most notably, Hamster Kombat is ready to launch its token HMSTR on the community on September 26 after garnering over 300 million gamers, plus Catizen simply launched its CATI token on TON.

Contained in the Flappy Hen mini app, you’re prompted to attach a TON pockets in trade for in-game level. This is step one that any sport that’s planning a token launch and airdrop should take—in order that gamers can ultimately declare their tokens.

An internet-based model of the sport additionally contains the point out of a FLAP token on TON, as reported by Protos, with an airdrop and staking rewards. That web page was taken down after it was first noticed by web sleuths. Moreover, a earlier model of the Flappy Hen official website additionally mentions a Solana token, although these plans might have modified in favor of a TON launch.

What occurred to the unique sport and creator?

As Flappy Hen mania was hitting fever pitch in 2014, indie developer Dong Nguyen determined it was all an excessive amount of for him and took the sport off of app shops.

“I can name Flappy Hen a hit of mine,” he wrote on Twitter, “However it additionally ruins my easy life. So now I hate it.”

The Vietnam-based creator advised Forbes that he felt responsible that the sport had grow to be an “addictive product” and that it had grow to be “an issue.” To resolve this, he merely deleted it. “It’s gone endlessly,” he stated.

Nguyen returned to his easy life, principally remaining out of the limelight. However when it was introduced that Flappy Hen was returning, he took to Twitter to precise his displeasure—along with his first publish in practically seven years.

“No, I’ve no [relation] with their sport,” he wrote, “I didn’t promote something. I additionally do not help crypto.”

How did the Basis get the rights?

The Flappy Hen Basis owns the trademark to Flappy Hen, however didn’t acquire it via Nguyen.

4 years after the Flappy Hen creator took the sport down, the trademark was thought-about deserted, in response to the Basis. Cellular Media Companions, Inc. obtained the deserted trademark, then Gametech Holdings, LLC later acquired it from them. On August 23, 2024, the Flappy Hen Basis Group claims to have acquired the trademark from Gametech Holdings, LLC. This additionally strains up with sleuthing that unaffiliated sport developer Sam Chiet posted on Twitter.

“The acquisition was performed via a completely authorized and clear course of, guaranteeing that the sport’s revival is each legit and respectful of its historical past,” a Basis spokesperson advised Decrypt.

Put merely, the sport’s trademark was thought-about deserted and handed its means via the fingers of some firms earlier than ending up with The Flappy Hen Basis. Nguyen had no say, and didn’t obtain any cash for this.

The Flappy Hen Basis additionally stated it acquired the rights to Piou Piou vs. Cactus, an unrelated sport that believes it impressed Flappy Hen’s cartoon character. In truth it introduced on Keke, the developer of Piou Piou vs. Cactus, as a core founding member of the Basis.

Regardless of the acquisition of each emblems, the circumstances behind Flappy Hen’s return—and the shortage of participation or a co-sign by the unique creator—has left a bitter style in some players’ mouths as they consider Nguyen has been finished soiled.

In the meantime, some gamers seem like simply completely happy to have the sport again in motion after a decade away. The Basis plans to launch the sport via different platforms, together with native iOS and Android apps, in 2025 following this preliminary launch interval with the Telegram model.

Edited by Andrew Hayward