Apple And Google Reported To Be Pulling Down Games On The Basis Of "Flappy" Names
Like a zombie that refuses to die, Flappy Bird has still been seeing some activity days after its official demise thanks to imitations and scams proliferating on the Internet. Now it seems that Google and Apple are finally putting an axe to those clones by rejecting or even removing games from iTunes App Store and Google Play Store if they have the word "Flappy" in their name.
The one-hit wonder Flappy Bird caused quite a stir when its developer publicly stated his intention to kill off the game. The official reason is that the fame has ruined his previously simple life and that the game has become too addictive for good. That was after he also revealed to be receiving no small amount of money via in-game advertisements.
Whether you believe his reasons or not, the fact is that Flappy Bird is officially gone. But that is not stopping other people from trying to ride on the wave of its popularity and try to cash in a bit. It wasn't surprising to see a lot of alternatives, clones, and what have you spreading like a virus on iPhones, Android, and even on smartwatches.
Of course, not all these flapping apps are legit. As with any viral app phenomenon, there will be those who try to use the situation to take advantage of others. Given how quickly Flappy Bird clones have turned into malware-bearing avians, stopping them right at the app store gates might have been a wise move.
It does, however, bring in the question of policy. Developers have reported their games being rejected from App Store on the basis of trying to leverage a popular app, regardless if said app is no longer available. Google is less clear, sometimes allowing the games to be available and then slowly taking it down as spam. The only common thread is that the games use the word "Flappy" in their name. While there may be those who might actually be happy to see a stop to the Flappy Flood, developers might start becoming wary after such seemingly arbitrary implementation of app policies.
SOURCE: Techcrunch
VIA: Android Community