Is There Any Way to Make Flappy Bird Less Addictive?

Creator Dong Nguyen says he'll re-introduce a less addictive game.

ByABC News
May 15, 2014, 11:33 AM

May 15, 2014— -- How much fun will a revamped Flappy Bird be if it's not driving gamers mad?

Dong Nguyen, the Vietnam-based creator, said he plans to bring the game, including its infamous big-eyed bird and green pipes, back to the market later this year, but with a few changes.

The game will have a multi-player capability and be less addictive, Nguyen told CNBC.

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How Nguyen plans to make millions of people's favorite time-wasting game less addictive is anyone's guess.

Flappy Bird, which entails guiding a cartoon bird through green pipes, had been downloaded more than 50 million times before Nguyen pulled it from app stores in February.

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PHOTO: Nguyen Ha Dong, the author of the game Flappy Bird, relaxes inside a coffee shop in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 5, 2014.
Nguyen Ha Dong, the author of the game Flappy Bird, relaxes inside a coffee shop in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 5, 2014.

During an interview with The Verge earlier this year, Nguyen said "Flappy Bird" was raking in $50,000 a day in revenue from in-app advertisements. Nguyen said it "ruined his life." The hugely popular game had become too “addictive,” Nguyen said, adding he wanted his life to go back to normal after the chart-topping app shot him into the limelight.

In the wake of “Flappy Bird’s” demise, Nguyen received death threats from fans, while others worked quickly to fill the vacuum by creating their own fake versions of the app. Memorial artwork even started popping up on eBay, retailing for thousands.

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