The Flappy Bird trademark battle is set to begin as seven companies are seeking to register the trademark under their name. The companies have reportedly applied for sole ownership of creator Doug Nguyen’s IP, with intent to reintroduce the popular game.
Last week Nguyen removed the game from the market, citing mounting pressure that threatened his simple lifestyle. Although he reportedly made more than $50,000 per day, the creator said the instant success was simply too overwhelming.
Nguyen said he developed the simple game “to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed.” However, he later realized that Flappy Bird was an “addictive product.” As reported by Top News , Nguyen “thought it through” and eventually decided to delete the popular game .
Critics argue that Flappy Bird was a blatant ripoff of the 1985 version of Super Mario Brothers . The accusations were thought to have influenced Nguyen’s decision to delete the game. However, the creator insists that his decision was not influenced by the claims .
Although he received incredible backlash, Nguyen said he stands by his decision. As many fans were frustrated that the game disappeared, several companies developed clones, which are being sold in Google’s Play Store.
Over the weekend, Google vowed to ban all Flappy Bird clones. Although fans of the original game have enjoyed some of the clones, some versions were packaged with spam and other malicious software.
Android and Me reports that the ban includes all new games with the word “Flappy” in the title. Existing Flappy Bird clones will still be available. However, new applications for inclusion in the Play Store will be heavily scrutinized. Apple has implemented similar measures to prevent future clones in their iOS store.
Although there are numerous Flappy Bird clones, several companies are seeking trademark rights for the original games. Within the last week Mobile Media Partners, Gabriel Joseph Harkham, Olaes Enterprises, Inc., Jamal Aminy, Neal Blaak, Alexander Prevoteau, and OneClick, have applied for the Flappy Bird trademark.
According to numerous reports, San Francisco-based OneClick Studios may win the battle. International Business Times reports that the small company has already developed an enhanced version of the mobile game, which will include a leaderboard and support services.
The company plans to offer the game for free with ads. An ad-free version will also be available for a minimal cost.
Despite rumors to the contrary, it is impossible to predict if any of the companies will be granted the Flappy Bird trademark.