Rovio announced they’re removing the original Angry Birds from the Android store and will rename it on iOS because it’s too popular.
The forever popular smartphone game is being removed entirely from Google Play – while the iOS release is being renamed to “Red’s First Flight” and will remain available.
Both changes are being made because players keep buying the original for a dollar instead of its many sequels, which even though they are free-to-play they are riddled with microtransactions.
Rovio noted the games are being pulled because of their “impact” on the developer’s “wider games portfolio”, which is a very polite way of saying people keep buying the game over its many sequels and spinoffs.
“We have reviewed the business case of Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, and due to the game’s impact on our wider games portfolio, we have decided that Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will be unlisted from the Google Play Store on Thursday, February 23,” Rovio said in an update. “Additionally, the game will be renamed to Red’s First Flight in the App Store pending further review. Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will remain playable on devices on which the game has been downloaded, even after it has been unlisted.
They continued, “We understand that this is sad news for many fans, as well as the team that has worked hard to make Rovio Classics: Angry Birds a reality. We are extremely grateful to the Angry Birds fans who have shown their love of the brand and this game from the beginning. We hope those fans can continue to bring that passion to our live Angry Birds slingshot games such as Angry Birds 2, Angry Birds Friends, and Angry Birds Journey, where our goal every day is to craft the best possible experience for players.”
Anyone that has Angry Birds downloaded already will be able to keep playing it even after it gets delisted or renamed.