Flappy Bird To Return As Multiplayer Game With Less Addictive Qualities

Creator Dong Nguyen, the one-man team behind Vietnamese game developer DotGears Studios, told CNBC on Wednesday that the game will be making a return, potentially this August, in an updated version in which players will be able to compete with others in real time to flap the infamous haunter of our collective score-obsessed dreams.

Nguyen told CNBC’s Kelly Evans, albeit with the caveat that the game wouldn't be coming anytime "soon." It’ll also be less addictive, he says, which is great news for people who enjoy their lives and living them to the fullest.

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The Flappy Bird fiasco began unfolding earlier this year, when the months-old smartphone game published by an unknown developer last year mysteriously began gaining traction on iOS and Android devices. By early February, it had topped both platforms' free charts and was overwhelming players and mainstream media outlets alike, growing into a steam-rolling sensation capable of reducing the popularity upswing of titles like Angry Birds into a mind-boggling two-week time span.

Nguyen, a self-described humble lover of retro games and classic Mario art, became an overnight celebrity, which included being subject to all the vile side effects of the anonymous online mobs of Twitter and article comment sections. Endlessly hounded by players who felt he was not grateful for his newfound wealth and had built success off stealing from Nintendo, Nguyen's online presence became a repository for death threats and accusations.

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So despite reports that he was earning around $50,000 a day from the free app's in-game banner ads -- and presumably more so when the game hit peak popularity weeks later -- Nguyen yanked the title from the iOS App Store and Google Play store with a day's notice, saying it had ruined the serenity of his simple life.

Some viewed the move as a massive publicity stunt, as players raced to download the game before it was taken down. To others, it just seemed like Nguyen was an ordinary guy who didn’t quite know what to do with so much attention thrust upon him, and would rather have peace and quiet than that revenue stream.

Ngyuen left other popular games of his online, including Shuriken Block, which remained high on the app charts for a time. And naturally, the money has kept coming in from already installed copies of Flappy Bird.

Nguyen, in a wide-ranging interview with Rolling Stone in March, explained his reasoning behind the decision, claiming that he saw firsthand how Flappy Bird was negatively affecting players' lives and turned his own life upside down.

Describing his state of mind as more adjusted since he pulled the app, Nguyen had moved out of his parents' house, quit his day job, and was back to designing games after a brief hiatus. He dropped hints then of bringing Flappy Bird back, and now appears to be following through.

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But the good news for Nguyen? There’s no downside to bringing the game back. The man made an ungodly amount of money for an individual developer the first time around with Flappy Bird, and has found success with his other games too.

Whether the return of Flappy Bird results in another #1 chart topper or a complete whiff, he’ll likely make back whatever he invested into the newest tweaks of the game regardless. Adding new content to Flappy Bird can’t possibly have that high of a price tag attached, given the nature of the game.