Flappy Bird was removed from app stores in February 2014 because its creator, Dong Nguyen, felt it had become too addictive and was causing unhealthy stress for players, which in turn put intense pressure on him personally.

Quick Scoop: What Actually Happened

  • Flappy Bird launched in 2013 and unexpectedly blew up, reaching the top of the charts and earning tens of thousands of dollars per day from ads.
  • As it went viral, Nguyen started receiving massive attention from media and players, along with criticism and intense scrutiny.
  • He began to feel guilty that the game was “addictive in a bad way” and was negatively affecting players’ well‑being.
  • On February 8, 2014, he tweeted that he would take the game down and, by around February 10, Flappy Bird was removed from both the iOS App Store and Google Play.

In later interviews, Nguyen explained that Flappy Bird was meant to be a simple, relaxing game, but its viral success turned it into something he felt was harmful and burdensome.

Main Reasons It Was Removed

1. Concern over addictiveness

  • Nguyen explicitly said the game had become an addictive product and that this worried him.
  • He compared the way people compulsively played it to unhealthy habits, and felt responsible for that impact.
  • His conscience and even his sleep were affected; he reported feeling relief only after taking the game down.

2. Personal stress and overwhelming fame

  • Overnight success brought constant media requests, fan messages, and public pressure, which became mentally exhausting for a solo indie developer.
  • The level of attention and expectation (new features, ports, updates) clashed with his desire for a quieter, simpler life.

3. Misconceptions and rumors (what it was not)

Many theories popped up online, but widely reported information clarifies that:

  • There was no confirmed legal takedown from Apple, Google, or Nintendo; the removal was voluntary.
  • It was not due to server issues, hacking, or privacy violations.
  • Some blog posts speculate about things like bot farms or store rule violations, but these remain unproven and are not what Nguyen himself cited.

Timeline in Brief

  • May 2013 – Flappy Bird first released.
  • Late 2013–Jan 2014 – Climbs to the #1 spot on major app stores and becomes a global phenomenon.
  • February 8, 2014 – Nguyen announces on Twitter that he will remove the game, saying he “cannot make explanation perfectly.”
  • Around February 10, 2014 – Game is taken down from the App Store and Google Play.

Today’s Context and “Latest News”

  • The original Flappy Bird app is still not officially available; what you see now are clones, tributes, or similar “tap to flap” games.
  • Articles and newsletters still revisit the story as a classic case of “an app that was shut down because it was doing too well,” using it as a lesson about product impact and founder well‑being.
  • On forums and Reddit, people still discuss the removal, often mixing Nguyen’s own statements about addiction with rumors about threats or app‑store politics.

In short, if you’re searching “why was Flappy Bird removed,” the most credible, first‑hand answer is: the creator chose to take it down because he felt the game’s addictive nature and the sudden fame were harming both players and himself, not because of a ban or lawsuit.

TL;DR: Flappy Bird was not “banned”; its developer voluntarily removed it in early 2014 due to guilt over how addictive it was and the intense personal stress that came with its explosive success.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.